Why Netcells

  • Netcells was established in 2005 by Netcare Limited, the largest hospital group in South Africa and the United Kingdom.
  • Netcells is a privately owned South African Stem Cell Bank, with no external debt and an excellent managed financial record, meaning we do not have to rely on annual storage fees to finance our business.
  • Netcells is accredited by the American Association of Blood Banks (Membership number: 1067030). This gives you assurance that we are processing and storing according to international accreditation standards and that cells processed by our laboratory will be accepted by transplant centres across the world.
  • Netcells has an affiliation with Smart Cells International, the longest established stem cell company in the United Kingdom.
  • Netcells employs the identical technology to Smart Cells (who is regulated by the Human Tissue Authority in the United Kingdom). This has allowed Netcells to be Smart Cells’ offshore back-up laboratory and process & store their client’s stem cells from all over Europe, Middle East and Asia, when they are unable to reach the United Kingdom due to flight disruptions (weather and strikes).
  • Smart Cells will take over the storage of the stored stem cells in the unlikely event that Netcells should cease to exist.
  • Netcells insures all of its clients’ stem cells and in the unlikely event of anything ever happening to your baby’s stem cells, we are covered in order for you to be refunded.
  • Netcells has access to an International Scientific Team ensuring it stays ahead of international developments, allowing Netcells to offer world leading services in stem cell technology.
  • State-of-the-art laboratory with the best available international technology and equipment.
  • Netcells uses the Sepax gold standard for cord blood stem cell processing, which is an automated process (not manual) which ensures maximum extraction of stem cells from the blood.
  • Latest ambient temperature controlled kits (not polystyrene boxes) to transport the cells to the laboratory. This ensures that the cells remain at room temperature and protects them from being exposed to extreme fluctuations in temperature, which can affect the cells viability and cause them to die during transportation.
  • We organize the courier and ensure that it gets to the laboratory on time, so no need for you to stress about it after having given birth.
  • As Netcells is a local South African laboratory, transit time of the cells to the laboratory is within 24 hours, ensuring minimal delay in processing time, resulting in better viability results than stem cells processed overseas.
  • Flow cytometry testing is carried out on the cells ensuring that they are in fact viable for storage. If they are not viable, then you aren’t liable to pay the processing and storage fee. A Certified Results Certificate is issued on the number and viability of the stem cells stored.
  • Storage of stem cells in one unit - It is scientifically misleading to believe that the cord blood stem cells can be used more than once. Typically the unit is only enough for one transplant and therefore storing them in more than one unit, risks additional cell loss and bacterial contamination. If the cells have been split, and one unit is compromised, the remaining unit will not be enough to use in a transplant.
  • Option of either local or international storage.
  • Option of both cord blood and/or cord tissue storage.
  • We offer life-time storage.
  • There are no annual storage fees for the first 10 years. You can upgrade your storage contract to 20 years at a minimal upfront amount. Should you ever use your cells or wish to move them elsewhere before your storage contract comes up for renewal, we will refund you the unutilised portion of your storage fee.
  • We offer affordable interest-free payment plans.
  • Netcells laboratory also does processing, testing and storage of peripheral blood (bone marrow) stem cells for leading oncologists and haematologists in South Africa, with excellent results on thawing and transplantation. This is proof that our technology works.
  • Netcells laboratory also does processing and storage of mesenchymal stem cells from adipose (fat) tissue.
  • Consultants in all major areas in South Africa to meet with you and offer personalised service to each client.
  • We are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year for consultation, stem cell collection and laboratory processing.
  • If the cord blood stem cells are ever required for a transplant, then they will be couriered free-of-charge in a special cryogenic shipper anywhere in the world.
  • If the stem cells are transplanted during the first 5 years of your child’s life, then we will give you a full refund of the Processing & Storage Fee paid to us.