Stem cells of patients with childhood cancer accidentally destroyed after a malfunction of the freezer at the Los Angeles Children's Hospital in Los Angeles, California



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(Newser)

Insufficient "guarantees" at a medical center in California have resulted in a devastating loss for dozens of young cancer patients. KABC reported that stem cells from 56 patients had been accidentally destroyed after the freezer in the freezer in which they were stored at the Los Angeles Children's Hospital. A statement by the CHLA involves a malfunction of the unit's temperature sensors. "The safeguards were in place at the time but were inadequate," the statement said, adding that "the child's health is at risk because of this incident." CNN explains that stem cells are a form of regenerative therapy in which a patient's cells are reintroduced into their bodies in order to "replenish" sick or injured cells. The stem cells in this case were harvested via what the KABC considers to be a "grueling" process before children start chemotherapy and radiation therapy, and then put them in long-term storage in case the child cancer returns.

Dr. James Stein, CHLA's chief medical officer, said that stem cells can be recovered from patients with MS if needed, but some parents worry that the procedure is so difficult that it could be difficult or impossible. The hospital also apologizes for sending letters informing families of what happened directly to young patients, not to their parents. "I'm almost at the bottom and I start crying," said a 13-year-old patient at KABC. Her mother added that she would not have told her son the contents of the letter if she had seen him first. The CHLA has announced that it has obtained a new freezer, once all sources of food have been replaced, formed a team to work and maintain the new unit, and "upgraded our monitoring system and". sensor alert ". (Read more stories about stem cells.)

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