Nice... just in time for the stem cell update: 'Scientists Give the Go-Ahead for Private Storage of Stem Cells From Umbilical Cord Blood ' - June 2010
Tulder, "combined storage seems to be the way of the future".
What is the merit of umbilical cord blood?
Umbilical cord blood contains very valuable cells; stem cells which can multiply and grow into cells which can cure serious and sometimes deadly diseases. They are used to combat more than 70 different diseases and research into new applications is continuously increasing; at present, more than 3,000 clinical studies are in progress. The blood and the stem cells are analyzed and processed using advanced technology and subsequently stored in the gas phase of liquid nitrogen. When needed, the cells can be used immediately.
Private versus public storage?
As a parent, you can have the umbilical cord blood with the stem cells of your child stored in the private or family blood bank. The stem cells are then available for later use and guarantee an exact match for the child concerned, and 25% chance that they are also an exact match for a brother or sister. Worldwide, hundreds of thousands of parents already decided to store the stem cells from the umbilical cord blood of their children in a private bank.
When the choice is public storage, the parents decide to make the stem cells available to others. The cells can then be utilized to save the life of another, unknown person, who shows a match with the donor blood. However, the donor parents do not have any guarantee that the stem cells remain available for their own child as well.
In addition, it turns out that only 30 to 50% of all donations are indeed stored. The rest is destroyed. You will only get the guarantee that the stem cells are available if your child needs them by storing in a private or family bank.
AI
