Checks on storage facilities and operational processes of commercial cord blood banking service providers

NOTICE PAPER NO. 2464
NOTICE OF QUESTION FOR ORAL ANSWER
FOR THE SITTING OF PARLIAMENT ON 09 JANUARY 2024

Name and Constituency of Member of Parliament
Ms Chua Kheng Wee Louis
MP for Sengkang GRC

Question No. 5562

To ask the Minister for Health (a) how often are checks undertaken on the storage facilities and operational processes of commercial cord blood banking service providers; (b) whether the Ministry conducts unannounced checks on a regular basis; and (c) whether there are expectations of such service providers to pay compensation or restitution in the event that the claims or performance of their service are found to be lacking or untrue.

Written Answer

All cord blood banks in Singapore are currently subject to scheduled inspections every two years to assess their compliance with regulatory requirements under the Healthcare Services Act (HCSA). In addition, the Ministry of Health (MOH) may conduct additional visits, including unannounced visits, if there are any specific areas of concerns and suspected lapses.

Consumers can seek recourse from their cord blood banking provider in the event of service lapses, depending on the service contracts that they have entered into.