In last 15 years, tissue banking in Thailand was started as a bone bank namely the Bangkok Biomaterial Center at Faculty of Medicine Siriraj Hospital, Mahidol University. The founder of this bone bank is an orthopedist, Prof. Yongyudh Vajaradul. Because of demand increasing in different tissues other than this bone, this bone bank become a tissue bank in few years later. It stands for the National Tissue Bank resulting in shortage of tissue allografts to supply the need of the country. The network of tissue banking which is necessary now and much needed in the future is starting in Thailand.
At present the Bangkok Biomaterial Center supplies requests of tissue allografts from all over the country. This happens much shortage of tissue allografts which mostly retrieved from deceased donors including brain dead donors. The sources of deceased donors besides brain dead donors is from coronal cases which were investigated at forensic medicine facility i.e. at Police Forensic Medicine Institute and at Department of Forensic Medicine of Faculty of Medicine, Siriraj Hospital. From these two sources of donors there is still shortage of tissue allografts for patients. National Network of tissue banking is expected to solve this problem to a satisfied level.
Formation of National Network of Tissue Banking
A: Alliance
1. Central Tissue Banks
Bangkok Biomaterial center (The Tissue Bank Model)
Another Central Tissue Bank (Under the auspice of Ministry of Public Health (MOPH)
2. Regional Tissue Banks
2.1 Northern Tissue Bank : Faculty of Medicine, Chiang Mai University
2.2 Lower Northern Tissue Bank: Faculty of Medicine, Nasesuan University
2.3 Northeastern Tissue Bank I : Faculty of Medicine, Khon Kaen University
2.4 Northeastern Tissue Bank II : Maharaj Nakorn Rajshima, MOPH
2.5 Eastern Tissue Bank I : Chonburi Hospital, MOPH
2.6 Eastern Tissue Bank II : Somdej Na Sriracha Hospital, Thai Red Cross
B: Mission and Commitment
1. Bangkok Biomaterial Center
As a model for other tissue banks.
Support and encourage in setting other tissue banks.
2. Central Tissue Bank
Co-operate with BBC in tissue banking activities in Bangkok metropolitan.
Co-operate and support in setting up of regional tissue banks especially ones which belong to MOPH.
3. Regional Tissue Banks
- Act as the center of other regional tissue banks