Several people involved in cord blood sales are set to be arrested for aiding cord blood therapies without notifying authorities in advance, investigative sources said Friday.
The police are also looking into criminal charges against doctors believed to have administered cord blood. The Health, Labor and Welfare Ministry is also planning to file criminal complaints against multiple clinics soon.
Cord blood, which can be found in umbilical cords and placenta, contains blood-forming stem cells that are used to treat a number of diseases. Aside from 27 designated diseases, including leukemia, therapies using cord blood need to be reported to the government beforehand to ensure safety.