Singapore’s Ministry of Health (MOH) has issued a Notice of Intent to suspend Cordlife Group Limited’s cord blood banking services for one year, after a July 2025 audit uncovered serious lapses. The private cord blood bank has 14 days to submit written representations before the suspension takes effect on Oct 14, 2025.
Background
- Cordlife stores cord blood, which contains stem cells used in treatments for blood cancers and related diseases.
- The company was previously suspended for six months in November 2023 after lapses in cord blood storage. It was allowed to resume in September 2024 under strict conditions.
- Licences are typically renewed for two years, but Cordlife’s was renewed for only one year with a planned midpoint audit.
Audit Findings
The audit found Cordlife had failed to maintain compliance in several critical areas, including:
- Governance and incident reporting
- Collection, testing, and processing procedures
- Oversight by its clinical governance officer (CGO)
Key lapses included:
- Improperly frozen cord blood units (CBUs) that may have compromised stem cells.
- Inappropriate advice from the CGO, downplaying issues and discouraging proper reporting.
- Use of cord blood collection bags exposed to unsuitable temperatures.
- About 160 CBUs collected in 2025 are now under review for quality deviations.
Wider Concerns
MOH also revealed that 264 samples were tested from storage tanks previously exposed to high temperatures. Out of 14,000 CBUs in five tanks, three tanks holding 12,000 units failed viability tests. Earlier checks had already shown 7,500 CBUs were unviable.
This raises uncertainty for thousands of clients, some of whom may consider withdrawing or transferring their CBUs. MOH is engaging Singapore’s other cord blood banks (Singapore Cord Blood Bank, Cryoviva, and Stemcord) to assess capacity for potential transfers.
Directives from MOH
Cordlife has been ordered to:
- Replace its CGO.
- Review all affected CBUs and disclose deviations to clients.
- Allow independent haematologists to counsel clients.
- Retrain lab personnel and tighten supervisory frameworks.
- Maintain and safeguard all existing CBUs.
Personal Opinion
This case underscores the critical importance of strict compliance in medical storage services. Cordlife faces huge challenges in regaining the public trust. Thousands of families depend on Cordlife to preserve potentially life-saving stem cells for future treatments.
