St. Louis Cord Blood Bank News

NBC Today Show: Interview with cord blood donor.

Fri, 30 May 2008 00:00:00

Discusses cord blood banking from the private bank point of view. Suggests that it is expensive to do and complicated to ensure that you are dealing with a reputable company. Endorses cord blood donation.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21134540/vp/24838299#24838299

AAP Encourages Public Cord Blood Banking

Thu, 17 April 2008 00:00:00

AAP ENCOURAGES PUBLIC CORD BLOOD BANKING

Below is a news release on a policy statement appearing in the January issue of Pediatrics, the peer-reviewed, scientific journal of the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP). To receive the full text of this report, please contact the AAP Department of Communications.

For Release: January 2, 2007, 12:01 am (ET)

CHICAGO - Cord blood stem cell banks can provide an invaluable service to those afflicted with leukemia and immune disorders. The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) encourages families to donate their newborn’s cord blood, which is normally discarded at birth, to cord blood banks (if accessible in their area) for use by other individuals in need. Storing cord blood at private banks for later personal or family use as a general “insurance policy” is discouraged.

According to the revised AAP policy statement, “Cord Blood Banking for Potential Future Transplantation,” the chances of a child needing his or her own cord blood stem cells in the future are estimated to range from one in 1,000 to one in 200,000. Private cord blood banks target parents at an emotionally vulnerable time when the reality is most conditions that might be helped by cord blood stem cells already exist in the infant’s cord blood. However, the AAP does recommend private cord blood banking for parents who have an older child with a condition that could potentially benefit from transplantation, such as a genetic immunodeficiency.

See: frequently asked questions about cord blood banking below

The policy details recommendations for private or public cord blood banks, such as obtaining written permission for obtaining cord blood prior to the beginning of labor; refraining from collecting cord blood during complicated deliveries; complying with standards set by federal and state agencies; and actively recruiting minorities to donate cord blood.

Parents who decide to donate or store an infant’s cord blood should be informed that genetic and infectious disease testing will be performed on the cord blood and that they will be notified of any abnormalities that are found. Likewise, parents should notify cord blood banks if their child develops a genetic, immunologic or malignant condition so their cord blood is not used for transplants.

The American Academy of Pediatrics is an organization of 60,000 primary care pediatricians, pediatric medical subspecialists and pediatric surgical specialists dedicated to the health, safety and well being of infants, children, adolescents and young adults.

Frequently Asked Questions about Cord Blood Banking

1. What is the difference between private cord blood banking and public cord blood banking?

Private cord blood banking is storing the baby's cord blood for his/her own future use or use for a family member should the need arise. Alternatively, public cord blood banking, or donating, means that the baby's cord blood is stored in a cord blood bank and is available to anyone in need of a transplant or may be used research purposes.

2. I've been approached by a self-storage program to store my child's cord blood. Isn't it better to be safe than sorry? Should I store it or donate it?

Parents should consult their physician to help them make an informed decision.

Cord blood donation should be encouraged with the cord blood is stored in a bank for public use.
Private cord blood banking should be encouraged when there is knowledge of a full sibling in the family with a medical condition (malignant or genetic) that could potentially benefit from cord blood transplantation.
If banking for future personal or family use, parents should know that most conditions that might be helped by cord blood stem cells already exist in the infant's cord blood and would not be used (ie, premalignant changes in stem cells).
Storing cord blood as "biological insurance" should be discouraged because there currently is no scientific data to support (self) autologous transplantation..

3. Where can I donate cord blood?

Contact your local hospital to determine if it is affiliated with a cord blood bank or contact any major university hospital or medical center in your state to find out if they accept cord blood donations.

4. Why isn't there a cord blood bank in my area?

There are only a few cord blood banks in the United States; therefore, donation to a local bank is not possible in many areas. Many communities do not have the technical and financial resources necessary to establish and operate a cord blood bank.

5. Does it cost anything to donate cord blood?

The public donor cord blood banks pay for the collection procedure and storing of the baby's cord blood, so there is no cost to the family for donating the baby's cord blood. However, there are significant fees associated with private storage of cord blood often including both the collection and the storage.

6. Are there any risks to donating cord blood?

No, because the cord blood is collected after the baby is born and the umbilical cord is clamped and cut, it does not affect the baby or the birth experience. Cord blood collection should not be performed in complicated deliveries. The cord blood stem cell-collection program should not alter routine practice for the timing of umbilical cord clamping.

7. What will happen to my child's cord blood if I donate it?

If a family decides to donate a baby's cord blood and there is a cord blood bank in the area, the mother will need to obtain a collection kit that may include a family medical history questionnaire, a consent form, and the collection materials. The informed consent must be signed prior to the onset of active labor and before the cord blood collection. The consent must contain information pertaining to what tests are to be performed on the cord blood and how the parents will be informed should the test results be abnormal. Once a baby's cord blood is collected, it is typed, screened for infectious diseases and for hereditary hematologic diseases. If the donation is large enough and meets all of the required standards, it will be cryogenically stored for potential transplantation if a match is found or it might be used for quality improvement and research.

8. How does donated cord blood help others?

It can help treat diseases such as malignancies, bone marrow failure, hemoglobinopathies, immunodeficiencies, and/or inborn errors of metabolism.

9. How long can cord blood be stored before it expires?

Research is ongoing about the storage life of cord blood units.

10. How soon should I notify the cord blood bank in my area that I want to donate?

The cord blood bank should be notified approximately 4-6 weeks before the due date or about week 34 of pregnancy.

11. If it turns out my child does need the cord blood, can I retrieve his/her's cord blood from the bank I donated to?

Cord blood banked in a public program might not be available for future private use. Most conditions that might be helped by cord blood stems cells already exist in the infant's cord blood (ie, premalignant changes in stem cells).

12. If I decide to use a private cord blood bank, is there anything specific I should look for when selecting one?·

Does the company bank for personal and family use?
Institutional Review Board-approved protocols should be in place, including annual disclosure of the financial interest and potential conflicts of interest.
Financial viability and stability of the company should be considered
Physician should disclose any potential conflict of interest.
Company should have an informed consent process in place and require the parent to sign an informed consent.

Cord blood banks should comply with national accreditation standards developed by the Foundation for the Accreditation of Cellular Therapy (FACT), the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the Federal Trade Commission, and similar state agencies

ACOG Revises Opinion on Cord Blood Banking

Thu, 17 April 2008 00:00:00

ACOG NEWS RELEASE

For Release:	February 1, 2008
Contact:	ACOG Office of Communications
	(202) 484-3321
	communications@acog.org

ACOG Revises Opinion on Cord Blood Banking

Washington, DC -- Physicians should give balanced information to their pregnant patients who are considering cord blood banking, presenting both the advantages and disadvantages of public vs. private cord blood banks, according to The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) in a revised Committee Opinion published today in the February issue of Obstetrics & Gynecology. ACOG also advises physicians who recruit patients for for-profit cord blood banking to disclose their financial interests or other potential conflicts of interest to pregnant women and their families.

Blood from a newborn's umbilical cord, once considered a waste product that was routinely discarded along with the placenta, is now considered to contain potentially life-saving stem cells. Private banks were initially developed to store cord blood stem cells from newborns, for a fee, for potential future use by the same child or a family member if he/she developed disease later in life. Today, there are public banks that store, for free, stem cells that can be used by anyone needing them similar to how public blood banks work.

"Patients need to be aware that the chances are remote that the stem cells from their baby's banked cord blood will be used to treat that same child—or another family member—in the future," said Anthony R. Gregg, MD, chair of ACOG's Committee on Genetics. ACOG's Committee Opinion is a joint document produced by the Committee on Obstetric Practice and the Committee on Genetics.

Although ACOG takes no position for or against cord blood banking, it recommends that physicians disclose that there is no reliable estimate of a child's likelihood of actually using his or her own saved cord blood later. Some experts estimate this likelihood at 1 in 2,700, while others argue the rate is even lower. Physicians should also disclose to their patients that it is unknown how long cord blood can successfully be stored.

Pregnant women should be aware that stem cells from cord blood cannot currently be used to treat inborn errors of metabolism or other genetic diseases in the same individual from which they were collected because the cord blood would have the same genetic mutation. "Cord blood collected from a newborn that later develops childhood leukemia cannot be used to treat that leukemia for much the same reason," said Dr. Gregg.

Federal legislation was passed in 2005 that provides funding for continued growth of a national cord blood registry in the US. Several states have laws requiring physicians to inform patients about cord blood banking options. Physicians should consult with their state medical association for more information about their individual state laws.

Committee Opinion #399, "Umbilical Cord Blood Banking," is published in the February 2008 issue of Obstetrics & Gynecology.

Donna Regan Appointed to Federal Advisory Council on Blood Cell Transplantation

Thu, 06 March 2008 00:00:00

Donna M. Regan, MT(ASCP)SBB, Executive Director of the St. Louis Cord Blood Bank, has been appointed to serve on the Advisory Council on Blood Stem Cell Transplantation (ACBSCT) by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Secretary, Mike Leavitt. She is among 23 members chosen for their expertise in various areas of science and medicine involved with stem cell transplantation. “I am truly honored to work with this fine group of people to advance the understanding and application of cord blood cells for the benefit of patients everywhere” says Regan.

The ACBSCT advises Health and Human Services Secretary, Mike Leavitt and Health Resources and Services Administrator, Elizabeth Duke on broad program policy areas focusing on activities of the C. W. Bill Young Cell Transplantation Program and the National Cord Blood Inventory (NCBI). These programs are designed to increase the number of transplants using blood stem cells from adult donors and cord blood, expand the inventory of cord blood from diverse populations, and enhance the number of cord blood units available for research.

Regan has worked with the St. Louis Cord Blood Bank since 1995, a program which has produced 17,000 high quality, stem cell products from umbilical cord blood donations. The program is registered with the Food and Drug Administration and holds accreditation by the AABB (formerly the American Association of Blood Banks). The St. Louis Cord Blood Bank has distributed more than 1275 products for unrelated transplant.

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Cord blood is the blood that remains in the placenta and umbilical cord when a baby is born. It contains adult stems cells that can be used to treat over 70 diseases including leukemia, lymphoma, and sickle cell anemia. The collection procedure is completely painless for mother and baby. It does not interfere with the birthing process. And, if there is any concern about the safety of mother or baby, collection does not occur.

Established in 1995, the St. Louis Cord Blood Bank is the second largest independent public cord blood bank in the world. It accepts only donations of umbilical cord blood, then processes, stores, and makes them available to patients in need of stem cell therapy. These cord blood units are listed with the National Marrow Donor Program. Mothers and families interested in donating cord blood should call 314-268-2787 or 888-453-2673 for more information.

The St. Louis Cord Blood Bank operates at SSM Cardinal Glennon Children’s Medical Center and is affiliated with the St. Louis University School of Medicine.

News 4 Health: Umbilical cord blood

Tue, 04 March 2008 00:00:00

(KMOV) - The Catholic Church continues to be at the center of the stem cell debate.

But what many people don't realize is that the church promotes certain types of stem cell donations.

Now, Amelia is a happy little four-year-old girl but when she was just 14 months old Amelia was diagnosed with leukemia.

After months of unsuccessful chemotherapy, doctors at Cardinal Glennon Children's Hospital decided to try a stem cell transplant using cells that originated from donated umbilical cord blood.

Doctors use this blood because of its purity and richness in stem cells.

News 4 health team Chief Medical Consultant Ira Kodner explains, there is no controversy.

"Cord blood is adult blood it has no potential to go on to become human life," said Kodner.

"There is no ethical religious restriction on the use of cord blood," he added.

When a child is born the mother has the option of donating the child's umbilical cord blood for public use at no cost, banking it for a fee just in case the family needs it, or having the hospital throw it out.

Cardinal Glennon Hospital is home to the only public cord bank in the St. Louis area.

There are also several private banks across the nation. Some families choose to pay for storage when there's a family history of blood disorders.

For decades both hospitals and mothers saw umbilical cord blood as medical waste but to Amelia's mother, it's a donation that saved her daughter's life.

A bone marrow transplant can only happen when six out of six chromosomes match between the donor and recipient.

A cord blood transplant can take place with fewer.

Both are listed in a national registry.

Since Cardinal Glennon is a public blood bank, they ship theirs all around the world.

SLCBB Announces new web site

Fri, 28 April 2006 00:00:00

The St. Louis Cord Blood Bank is pleased to announce the launch of its newly re-designed web site at www.slcbb.org

Clay Urges Senate to Pass Cord Blood Bill

Fri, 07 October 2005 00:00:00

For Immediate Release
October 7, 2005 Contact: Ishmael-Lateef Ahmad at
(314) 367-1970

Clay Urges Senate to Pass Cord Blood Bill

Legislation Would Create National System For Bone Marrow & Cord Blood Transplants, Saint Louis University to Continue Groundbreaking Research

Washington, DC - Congressman Wm. Lacy Clay (D) Missouri, joined with NBA Hall of Famer Julius “Dr. J” Erving to urge the U.S. Senate to pass S.1317, which would authorize the creation of a national system for cord blood banking and transplantation. The House version of the bill, which Mr. Clay co-sponsored, passed earlier this year by a vote of 431 – 1.

“This bill will provide federal dollars to add 150,000 additional units of umbilical cord blood which would be available for research and transplantation. It will also establish a comprehensive national system to coordinate access to cord blood and adult bone marrow, which will allow more Americans to receive life-savings treatments,” said Clay.

Many patients are unable to find a match for treatments involving cord blood or bone marrow, because they have rare tissue traits. And this problem is especially acute among specific racial and ethnic groups. “Some minorities have less than a 50% chance of obtaining a potentially life-saving stem cell transplant,” said Mr. Erving. “Our goal is to raise that percentage to 90% by providing more federal funds to significantly increase umbilical cord blood stem cell inventories.”

The St. Louis Cord Blood Bank, which is the second largest cord blood facility in the world, is located on the Saint Louis University Campus at Cardinal Glennon Children’s Hospital. It is an international leader in pioneering treatments that involve the transplantation of cord blood stem cells and bone marrow.

Donna Regan, a spokesman for the SLCBB commented, “By increasing our inventories of cord blood, we will be able to expand the application for medical therapies and treat more conditions such as spinal cord injuries and Parkinson’s Disease.”