Save up to 25% off stem cell banking with Netcells Biosciences

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1 Save up to 25% off stem cell banking with Netcells Biosciences In a unique offering, we have been able to arrange an exclusive offer for medical scheme members with Netcells Biosciences Africa s leading stem cell laboratory and cryogenic facility based in Johannesburg. Netcells Biosciences gives expectant parents the opportunity to collect their newborn baby s umbilical cord blood and tissue stem cells and cryogenically store them for potential future medical use.

2 Please note that the expenses related to stem cell banking will not be covered by your scheme. The cash discount that is offered is passed directly on to you and is not paid from your health plan benefits. What you can get Members of selected Schemes administered by Discovery Health (Pty) Ltd can get up to 25% off stem cell banking when you register to store your baby s stem cells with Netcells Biosciences. The discounted amount depends on the service and the payment plan you choose. Interest-free payment plans Affordable, interest-free payment plans are available from Netcells Biosciences. All-inclusive pricing structure Netcells Biosciences offers an all-inclusive pricing structure, which includes the maternal blood tests and banking for the first 10 years. What stem cells are, where they are found and what they are used for? Stem cells are the original building blocks of life and, differentiate into all the specialised cells that make up the human body like skin, blood cells, muscle, bones and nerves. Stem cells are found in the body where they continually maintain and repair the tissues. However, harvesting stem cells from our bodies is difficult. Blood and tissue in the umbilical cord contain large numbers of stem cells that are easily accessible. Collecting umbilical cord blood and tissue at birth is free of moral, ethical or religious concerns,

3 as the umbilical cord and placenta are normally discarded as medical waste. Umbilical cord blood contains haematopoietic (blood) stem cells which are used to regenerate bone marrow and are routinely used to treat over 70 blood related diseases such as Fanconi s anaemia, leukaemia, lymphoma, thalassemia and sickle cell anaemia. New therapies, using these stem cells, are also being researched on cerebral palsy, traumatic brain injury, autism, hearing loss and type 1 diabetes. Umbilical cord tissue contains mesenchymal stem cells, which are being used in both research and clinical environments for a variety of aesthetic and medical conditions. This includes skin regeneration, neurology (motor neuron disease and multiple sclerosis), orthopaedic surgery (cartilage and bone repair), sports injury (tendon and ligament repair) and cardiology (heart muscle regeneration). Who can use the harvested stem cells? Stem cells represent a perfect match for the baby who they ve been collected from, and pose no risk of rejection when transplanted. There is also a good possibility (1 in 4) that the stem cells will be a suitable match for a sibling. Why store with Netcells Biosciences? Netcells Biosciences is the only cryogenic biobank in South Africa to process and store stem cells according to validated international accreditation standards. This gives you peace of mind that your baby s umbilical cord stem cells are correctly collected and stored and will be accepted worldwide for any future life-saving treatments he or she may need.

4 When should I register and what happens after I register? It is advisable to register with Netcells Biosciences at about 30 weeks of pregnancy. Once Netcells Biosciences has received both the registration and confirmation of initial payment, a consultant will call you to arrange an appointment to handover a collection kit box. You must take the collection kit box to the birth of your baby so that the obstetrician or midwife can collect the stem cells after your baby has been delivered. For more information about umbilical cord and tissue stem cell banking, please contact Netcells Biosciences by telephone on or at [email protected] or visit the website at

5 Schemes administered by Discovery Health contact details Discovery Health Quantum Medical Aid Society Anglovaal Group Remedi Medical Aid Scheme BMW Employees Medical Aid Society LA Health Lonmin Retail TFG Medical Aid Scheme Tsogo Sun Group M-Med Option of the Naspers Medical Fund Malcor Medical Aid Scheme UKZN WitsMed Naspers Medical Fund

6 Discovery Health Contact Centre Discovery Health (Pty) Ltd; registration number 1997/013480/07, is an authorised financial services provider and administrator of medical schemes. Netcells Biosciences (Pty) Limited, registration number 2004/026428/07. EFPBE02/25 GM_34744DHC_16/09/2015_V1