Public Cord Blood Banking in Canada
Save Umbilical Stem Cells to Treat Cancer and Genetic Diseases
Oct 21, 2009
When parents bank their child’s cord blood, it is usually out of a desire to preserve the baby’s stem cells for future medical procedures. Cord blood banking is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to save these cells, but is it worth it? Controversy abounds, both about the usefulness of preserved cord blood and about whether cord blood should be placed in a public bank for research and treatment at all.
How Does Cord Blood Banking Work?
Umbilical cord blood contains stem cells. While many human cells have one purpose, stem cells are flexible, and this is what makes them medically important. These stem cells can morph into red or white blood cells, platelets, and can be cultured into other tissues as well. Cord blood banking saves these special cells for future use by preserving them cryogenically, and they last for at least 10 years when they are frozen.
The Debate About Public Banks for Umbilical Stem Cells
Cord blood banking is a controversial issue. The stem cells in cord blood may have the ability to treat diseases like Alzheimer’s, diabetes, and other genetic diseases. They can also recreate new bone marrow and blood cells in children who have diseases like leukemia. Since these stem cells can be so valuable both to individuals and to researchers, the debate rages about whether they should be held in public cord blood banks.
Accessibility of Public and Private Cord Blood Banks
Private cord blood banking usually involves an initial fee, usually in the thousands of dollars. Annual fees generally cost in the hundreds of dollars. This means that cord blood banking can be financially out of reach for some families. In contrast, banking a child’s cord blood in a public bank is free. However, families will not have access to their child’s blood for exclusive use. Like a blood bank or the bone marrow list, any family is able to access the bank. Stem cell samples would be available internationally as well, through a global registry.
Public Cord Blood Banks in Canada
There are approximately 40 cord blood banks worldwide, and two in Canada. These are the Alberta Public Cord Blood Bank and Hema-Quebec. In 2007, Canadian Blood Services conducted a public consultation to investigate the need for a national public cord blood bank in Canada. Those involved agreed that creating a public cord blood bank is necessary to fulfill Canada’s ethical and moral obligations on the international stage.
Cord blood banking is an intriguing and emerging area of medical research and treatment. It’s a proven way to treat certain diseases like leukemia, and cord blood shows promise in the treatment of other genetic diseases as well. Choosing between public and private cord blood banking can be a challenging decision, one that is a financial, medical, and ethical balancing act.
 |
