The Cord-Blood-Bank Controversies

Abstract

Umbilical-cord blood is increasingly used as a source of stem cells to repopulate the bone marrow in the treatment of life-threatening diseases in children and adults (as discussed in this issue of the Journal by Laughlin et al., pages 2265–2275, Rocha et al., pages 2276–2285, and Sanz, pages 2328–2330). This scientific progress, however, has triggered a continuing debate about how to organize cord-blood banks and the role of public and private facilities.The blood that remains in the placenta after birth is readily available, can be collected at no risk to the mother or newborn, and may be stored frozen . . .