By Dr. Ngo Anh Tien, Director of Vinmec Tissue Bank.
On July 15, 2021, Vinmec Tissue Bank completed its first official evaluation conducted by experts from AABB, a globally recognized standard for these activities: collection, reception, processing, storage, and distribution of cord blood and umbilical cord stem cells. The positive evaluation results confirmed that Vinmec Tissue Bank meets the criteria for achieving international AABB accreditation.
1. Vinmec Tissue Bank – The First Licensed Private Tissue Bank in Vietnam
Vinmec Tissue Bank (VTB), under Vinmec Healthcare System and operated by the Vinmec Institute of Stem Cell and Gene Technology, is a non-profit multi-tissue bank affiliated with Vinmec International Hospital Joint Stock Company.
It is the first private tissue bank in Vietnam to receive a license from the Ministry of Health, following the Vietnam-Germany Hospital Tissue Bank. The quality review board, led by Professor, Dr. Luong Ngoc Khue, Director of the Department of Medical Services Administration, conducted thorough assessments to ensure safety and compliance with Ministry of Health standards.
Vinmec Tissue Bank was officially established in October 2019 (Decision No. 388/2019/QĐ-VINMEC), based on the Cord Blood Bank that had been operational since March 2014 (Ministry of Health Decision No. 3252/QĐ-BYT).
It received its official tissue bank license (No. 302/BYT-GPHĐHNM) on February 26, 2020, with a broad scope of operations which is Multi-Tissues Bank, including:
- Receiving, processing, preserving, storing, and transporting tissue and cell samples;
- Supplying tissues and cells to medical, research, and educational institutions;
- Exchanging tissues and cells with other tissue banks;
- Collaborating with domestic and international organizations in tissue and cell research for disease diagnosis, treatment, education, and regenerative medicine.
Along with the core values of the Vinmec Healthcare System—Innovation, Responsibility, Reliability, and Excellence—the Vinmec Tissue Bank is committed to utilizing all resources to achieve AABB world-class standards and lead the way in receiving, processing, storing, preserving, and supplying tissues, cells, and other biological samples for medical diagnosis, treatment, training, and research purposes in the era of regenerative medicine and personalized/precision medicine in Vietnam.
2. AABB Standards for Stem Cell Storage
AABB (American Association of Blood Banks) is an international non-profit association representing professionals and organizations in the fields of transfusion medicine and cellular therapy worldwide.
Several organizations provide certification for laboratories such as: The accreditation of Cellular Therapy (FACT), the American Association of Blood Banks (AABB), and the Joint Accreditation Committee-ISBT and EBMT (JACIE)...
With the mission of advancing blood transfusion and developing global cell therapies, the AABB association is committed to ensuring patient health by providing standards, methods, and educational programs that focus on optimizing care and safety for both patients and donors.
On January 11, 2020, Vinmec Tissue Bank officially became a member of the American Association of Blood Banks (AABB) and the International Society of Blood Transfusion (ISBT). These associations play a critical role in guiding the implementation of AABB standards for the collection, processing, storage, and distribution of cord blood and umbilical cord stem cells.
3. Vinmec Tissue Bank Impresses Experts from AABB in the First Assessment
Due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, the evaluations and inspections of equipment, laboratories, and technical processes related to the collection, reception, processing, and storage of cord blood and umbilical cord samples were conducted virtually by AABB experts, including Mrs. Christine Bales, Vice President of Global Consulting and Services at AABB, and Mrs. Mary Elizabeth Smith, the principal assessor.
Mrs. Mary Elizabeth Smith commented during the assessment:
“I want to tell you how impressive your SOPs are. You have done a wonderful job of incorporating illustration into them, making them easy to follow, and they are very well structured concerning the execution of the processes.”
During the virtual review of Vinmec Tissue Bank’s reception, processing, and storage procedures for cord blood, Mrs. Mary Elizabeth Smith praised the expertise and knowledge of the staff and the excellent setup of the laboratory. She remarked to Dr. Ngo Anh Tien: “Please be assured that I was very impressed with the knowledge and expertise of you and your staff, as well as the excellent set-up of your laboratory.”
Online review of Cord Blood and Umbilical Cord sample reception from AABB experts. Model Bank staff (pictured top right), Ms. Christine Bales, Vice President of AABB Global Consulting and Services (pictured middle right), and Ms. Mary Elizabeth Smith, assessment expert main (image below right hand side
With Vinmec Healthcare System’s core values of “Innovation, Responsibility, Trust, and Excellence” and AABB’s evaluation, Vinmec Tissue Bank officially received AABB international quality accreditation on October 3, 2022, for its activities involving the collection, reception, processing, storage, and distribution of cord blood and umbilical cord stem cells.
Current Storage Services Provided by Vinmec Tissue Bank:
- Cord Blood Storage Services
Packages available: 1 year, 5 years, 10 years, 15 years, and 25 years.
- Umbilical Cord Tissue Storage Services
Packages available: 1 year, 5 years, 10 years, 15 years, and 25 years.
- Mesenchymal Stem Cell Storage from Umbilical Cord Tissue
Packages available: 1 year, 5 years, 10 years, 15 years, and 25 years.
- Combo Storage of Cord Blood and Umbilical Cord Tissue
Packages available: 1 year, 5 years, 10 years, 15 years, and 25 years.
- Combo Storage of Cord Blood and Mesenchymal Stem Cells from Umbilical Cord Tissue
Packages available: 1 year, 5 years, 10 years, 15 years, and 25 years.
- Mesenchymal Stem Cell Storage from Other Tissues
Sources include adipose tissue, bone marrow, and dental pulp.
- Supply of Mesenchymal Stem Cells
Post-storage delivery to clinical and laboratory units for treatment purposes.
- Sperm Storage Services
Packages available: 1 year, 5 years, 10 years, 15 years, and 25 years.
For detailed information about Vinmec Tissue Bank’s collection, processing, and storage packages for cord blood and umbilical cord tissue, please contact:
Vinmec Tissue Bank – Vinmec International Hospital Joint Stock Company
458 Minh Khai, Hai Ba Trung District, Hanoi
To arrange an appointment, please call HOTLINE or make your reservation directly HERE. You may also download the MyVinmec app to schedule appointments faster and manage your reservations more conveniently.
