Cord blood or umbilical cord blood stem cells are better to bring about healing in diseases such as cancer. In an effort to collect cord blood and begin cord blood banking to help people in need, a drive has begun in various states.
In Arizona the valley hospitals are engaged in an active drive to collect and store cord blood to save lives. Cord blood banking costs are relatively high for private individuals, going up to an initial amount of $ 3000 and above due to the testing and storage charges. Pregnant mothers are approached for umbilical cord blood donation as a source of umbilical cord stem cells.
Phoenix Baptist, Maricopa Medical Center and St. Joseph’s Hospital will collect cord blood and store it in a national bank in Coloroda. Hospitals can buy this for transfusions.
This is part of a project funded by state lottery money and a federal health grant, established by the Arizona Biomedical Research Commission, to reduce shortage of cord blood and seeking minority mothers as donors. This will diversify the genetic base of stem cells and help minorities in need of such transfusions. These hospitals were selected since they are located in an area with ethnically diverse population.
Since June 29, 25 such umbilical cord blood donations have been recorded. St. Josephs started in July and Maricopa will start collection by September.
The drive will result in a broader genetic base of stem cells that should help minorities. At present, majority of donors are Caucasian whites with Native Americans and Hispanics the lowest. A drive focused on collection of umbilical cord blood donation from these minorities will help people in their ethnic groups.
Private cord blood banking costs are high and deter many donors as also buyers. Public initiatives like this one are able to offer umbilical cord blood originating stem cells at a much more attractive rate, making them affordable by economically challenged minority members.
In line with current policies, such donations are welcomed from minorities but must undergo stringent tests before being accepted. How stringent norms are becomes apparent when you see that only 750 out of 3000 donations are accepted for cord blood banking, an expensive process. One cord blood banking cost is $ 3000. The Arizona Biomedical Research Commission has allocated $ 1.68 million from state lottery funds to ClinImmune Labs, in charge of the Colorado bank and the three Arizona hospitals collecting cord blood. Further funding is from the federal Health Resource Service Administration with a committed $ 6.2 million for the next 3 to 5 years. This should help in collecting over 5000 cord blood units.
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