Cord Blood Education & Awareness Act of 2009
(H.R. 2107)
- Cord Blood is a non-controversial source of stem cells for current and emerging therapies. Stem cells from umbilical cord blood have been used in more than 14,000 transplants worldwide during the last 20 years to treat nearly 80 serious diseases. Because they have shown distinct benefits over other sources of adult stem cells (like bone marrow and peripheral blood), they are desired by transplant physicians for treating many forms of cancer, blood disorders and immune diseases.
- Cord blood stem cells are also showing promising results in research for regenerative medicine. Because stem cells found in cord blood have proven to be pluripotent, or having the ability to differentiate into every cell type in the human body, cord blood stem cells are demonstrating considerable developmental plasticity for therapeutic use. Researchers have found that in addition to blood cell precursors, cord blood contains many different types of stem cells -- the building blocks of bones, the heart, liver, and nervous system. Clinical trials are currently underway to study use of a child's own cord blood stem cells to treat diabetes and various forms of brain injury including cerebral palsy.
- The "Cord Blood Education and Awareness Act of 2009" (H.R. 2107) will provide expectant mothers with straightforward, accurate and easy to understand information about the value of their child's umbilical cord blood stem cells. It will offer a government stamp of approval on all available cord blood banking options and will give expectant parents confidence in the information they are reviewing.
- Specifically, the legislation will require the Secretary of Health and Human Services to develop uniform and medically accurate information regarding cord blood banking options, medical data on the use and future potential of cord blood stem cells, the costs and availability of various banking or donation options and other pertinent information to help expectant parents make an informed choice for their child's cord blood. The bill will also require information developed by the Secretary to be disseminated to pregnant women by maternal health care providers.
- The legislation will require Secretary of Health and Human Services to develop standards for written informed consent so that expectant women can expressly affirm a decision for their child's cord blood stem cells. Lastly, the legislation provides for the development and administration of professional education materials for maternal healthcare providers and will also implement education grants for organizations that serve populations for whom decisions about cord blood stem cells are especially important.
- A 2006 study published in the Journal of Reproductive Medicine found that 84% percent of patients expect their healthcare provider to be able to answer their cord blood banking questions; yet only 14% of patients are educated by their healthcare provider.
- In 2005, The Institute of Medicine (IOM) submitted a report to Congress entitled "Establishing National Hematopoietic Stem Cell Bank Program," and recommended that "donors must be provided with clear information about their options," for cord blood and that "the information provided to a donor must include a balanced perspective on the different options for banking" cord blood. The IOM also recommended that "informed consent for the collection storage and use of cord blood should be obtained before labor and delivery, and after the adequate disclosure of information."
- Options for expectant parents to consider concerning a child's umbilical cord blood include: donation to a public cord blood bank, storage for individual or family use in a private cord blood bank, storage for family use via a free family or sibling donor program within a private cord blood bank or disposal as medical waste.
- The "Cord Blood Education and Awareness Act of 2009" is supported by the Coalition for Regenerative Stem Cell Medicine which includes The Brain Injury Association of America, The Association of Nurse Practitioners in Women's Health, The Parents Guide to Cord Blood, several notable stem cells researchers throughout the world and a growing number of healthcare organizations, professional associations, disease advocacy groups and concerned citizens dedicated to ensuring that these valuable stem cells are never thrown away.
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