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Public and Private Banks – Sharing a Common Goal
Thursday, October 21st, 2010
Seeing the value in cord blood stem cells.
Public and Family banks know the value of cord blood stem cells. Both experience, firsthand, how cord blood stem cells help treat patients who suffer from one of nearly 80 life-threatening diseases and appreciate the attention cord blood stem cells are gaining in a new area of research called regenerative medicine. It’s no surprise then that both Public and Family banks seek to raise awareness about the value of cord blood stem cells to the expectant parents of the approximately 4 million newborns in the U.S. each year.
That’s 4 million opportunities to preserve a potential life-altering medical treatment option for the future. But unfortunately, all too often, the umbilical cord and the valuable stem cells it provides are discarded as medical waste.
When you know the value of cord blood stem cells you understand that, whenever possible, taking action is essential. It’s also important to know the features and benefits of both Public and Family banking in order to make the decision that works best for your family.
Categories: Public Banking
Availability of Public Banking
Thursday, September 16th, 2010
Public cord blood banks: evaluating the benefits and limitations
Today, public banks are an important resource for those patients who do not have access to a source of matched family stem cells. And many women want to donate their baby’s cord blood stem cells to a public bank to help provide life-saving treatments to people in need. It is a worthy cause so it’s important for pregnant women and their families to be fully informed about public cord blood donations before making a decision.
When a medical need for stem cells presents itself, a patient’s doctor will first look to family members to find a match. They may also access the National Marrow Donor Program’s (NMDP) Be The Match ® registry – an inventory of stem cell sources potentially available to be used in transplant. Even with this resource every year 10,000 people do not find an immediate match and must wait for a match in order to receive a stem cell transplant. 1
Categories: Cord Blood 101, Public Banking