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Original poster

Precious Cells have gone into administration

35 replies

Lonoxo · 26/04/2018 14:59

Just wondering whether any other parents have cells stored there. If so, perhaps we can keep each other informed? Thanks.

OP posts:
OP posts:
Myka2018 · 12/06/2018 22:25

Hi. Just found out about Precious Cells and i am in shock. Do u have a contract with them? Do u know what is happening with the storage? Thanks xx

Original poster
Lonoxo · 06/07/2018 11:03

Hi. Yes, we have a signed contract. The cells are safe as they are stored with a third party but we don’t know who the third party are or have any contact details. Have you heard anything?

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Myka2018 · 06/07/2018 15:02

Nooo. Nothing at all. A month ago i called the people that are doing the administration and told me that at the end of it will gwtwa letter with all the detail
However i am very sceptic about it and i fear that all has gone with the wind. Very very disappointed

Harvie1984 · 29/08/2018 10:35

Hi,
Did you receive a letter. I am a former employee at PCI and am happy to answer questions. Please note the third party storage facility is BOC in Oxford.

Best,
H

Myka2018 · 29/08/2018 10:54

Hi. I haven't received anything at all. I wasn't officially informed. I have no ideea whom.to call and whom.to ask !! So disparate and disappointed. Whom should i call? BOC?? Who are they?

Harvie1984 · 29/08/2018 11:12

BOC are the storage company who precious cells used to store the cord blood, BOC are a large multinational company who deal with gases and storage for industry - g.co/kgs/z3XHBT

Using a third party for storage is common practice and ensures that cord blood collected will be stored safely no matter what happens to the company collecting the cord blood. My understanding is that the process of administration is not yet complete - this probably explains why you have not received any information. The safety and continued storage of your cord blood was a priority for the regulatory body the HTA when they visited the site shorty after the collapse of the company. the HTA can be contacted on HTA on 020 7269 1900 (Mon - Fri, 9 to 5). i am sure they will be happy to answers any questions you have.

Myka2018 · 29/08/2018 11:43

Many thanks for infos. Will give them a call and see what they say. Thanks xx

mariusz · 12/10/2018 17:44

Hi,

Have you contacted HTA? Did you find out anything useful? I was in touch with administrators and they confirmed that the company is going into liquidation. The court is going to appoint a different company as liquidators.

We've also have not heard anything from them and only found out as we were looking for the service for our next one.

humantissueauthority · 31/10/2018 11:04

Hi All,

If you have previously used the services of Precious Cells International Ltd or Pharmacells Ltd we understand that you will be concerned to learn that they have entered administration.

We have been working with the Administrators to ensure that samples continue to be stored under appropriate conditions on licensed premises.

We would advise that you contact the Administrators directly if you have any questions relating to the status of the businesses, or for any information about your samples, as we do not have access to these records ourselves.

You can contact them on 01892 700200 or by emailing [email protected].

Best regards,

HTA

Original poster
Lonoxo · 07/11/2018 13:30

Latest news I had (from July) is that they had found a buyer for the business but the buyer had to do their due diligence. No date on when the sale will go ahead.

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Baerchimum · 13/11/2018 11:51

Hi all,
Thank you first of all for sharing all this, in particular @harvie1984.
I talked to the Administrators recently who said that they were not able to sell the assets of Precious Cells International. Also, it seems like the owner of PCI is not collaborating in identifying the samples. They know where they are stored and that they are all safe, however they do not know which sample belongs to which client.
We will have to wait until the liquidation process starts, at which point a liquidator will be appointed who will hopefully be able to provide more information...
Very very sad all of this... fingers crossed we can get them back!
Good luck to everyone.

D2828 · 18/12/2018 19:36

Look on website www.gov.uk/government/news/precious-cells-international-information-for-donors-creditors-and-employees

It has an update regarding the liquidation process.

Original poster
Lonoxo · 10/01/2019 22:58

Thanks all. I'm not sure if I have got this right...if I contact the liquidator, will they expect me to make arrangements to move the cells to another storage facility?

OP posts:
Original poster
Lonoxo · 11/02/2019 21:43

Anybody heard from the liquidator? If so, how long did it take from making contact to receiving a response?

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BridgetJonesDaiquiri · 11/02/2019 22:03

How am I only just hearing about this?!We’ve had samples stored with PCI since April 2017. Just catching up on what’s been going on now. Disappointed that the insolvency firm didn’t contact affected customers and am only finding out now.

Has anyone heard anything at all or contacted the official receiver? Do we just watch and wait to be contacted and told where our samples are stored?

terry28 · 15/02/2019 18:46

I was told by the original administrator that the directors of the company have not released the details/paperwork of the people who have used the storage, which is why no one was contacted and why we are now being asked for our details by the liquidator presumable in the hope that the storage items can be matched to the owners. I can’t believe the directors have acted in such a terrible way and that the only way that the records may get released is if the liquidator takes them to court. I emailed the liquidator with all my details but I haven’t heard anything yet!!! I’ve ask my MP to help!

BridgetJonesDaiquiri · 15/02/2019 22:12

@terry28 How did you contact the liquidator (or did they contact you)?

The only contact information I can find is the official receiver’s email at [email protected]. Is that who you contacted?

Thanks in advance!

terry28 · 15/02/2019 23:23

I contacted the administrator not the liquidator. Administrator tried to sell the company as a going concern, but when he couldn’t it was passed to the liquidator to wind up the company. It was the administrator who told me there were no records of storage and that’s why no one had been contacted.

terry28 · 15/02/2019 23:24

The email for the liquidator is on the gov. Website so I email them with my details, didn’t know what else to do.

terry28 · 05/03/2019 13:53

Email address on the website is not working, so don't assume your email has been received. You would have received an automatic response, if you didn't get one call the number below.

phone number of Insolvency.gov is 0207 637 6473

Ritusamith · 05/03/2019 18:12

I stored my stem cells with this organisation in 2014 and again in 2017. The clinical team at my hospital were extremely professional. Its a shame they went out of business. I contacted the Human Tissue Authority and was told visit the website.

Ritusamith · 06/03/2019 13:01

Insolvency.gov is 0207 637 6473, I called this number twice and its gone on voice mail. I have my storage certificate with me but it would be nice to know, who I could approach if I needed my sample. Its very incompetent that neither the regulator or the insolvency people fail to recognise that as a parent we are concerned about our samples. Not regulations at this stage. Terry28 ideas?

terry28 · 06/03/2019 13:39

What I got when I spoke to insolvency.gov was the items stored are in different locations and they are in the process of trying to locate all items, only at this point will we be told what to do next. I have to say after my call yesterday, it doesn’t sound very positive, I hope I’m wrong, but at no point did I get any reassurance, just that it was very complicated and a lot of people are working on it. And I would just have to wait!!! Going to leave it two weeks and phone again and again and again until someone can tell me something!!!!

Ritusamith · 11/03/2019 15:26

Hello, I bumped into one of the staff and she actually in Bournemouth, she had a different story to tell me -someone called Victoria and Jordan and their manager Abid refused to process samples. She said it was" Mr. Abid who wanted to takeover and move everything from London to Scotland". She was sacked before her six months were up on reason not passing probation.

Good news she says samples are safe once frozen .
Everyone is trying to protect themselves and blame the founder who is a decent man. This lady wants to be anonymous but has agreed to meet me in two weeks at the shopping centre in Bournemouth.