Private or Public Cord Blood Banking?
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Zero Waste Umbilical Cord Blood
Despite the fact that I live in a country (Italy) where cord blood banking is not very common yet, there is an increased tendency, in many parts of the world, in avoiding to threw away the umbilical cord of a new born.
I don't like waste of any kind and I know there are many splendid uses for the umbilical cord blood. Now parents that think likewise can choose to store it in a private bank or to give it to a public one. This is not always an easy choice, so I have explored the existing resources on the Web looking for a clear answer.
I don't like waste of any kind and I know there are many splendid uses for the umbilical cord blood. Now parents that think likewise can choose to store it in a private bank or to give it to a public one. This is not always an easy choice, so I have explored the existing resources on the Web looking for a clear answer.
To store or to donate, this is the question
Should you donate or store your child's cord blood? There are different opinions.
There are mainly two different type of banks for cord blood, public banks and private (or family) banks. Public banks can be aimed to transplants and/or to research. A private bank will conserve a cord blood sample on behalf of the owner, while a public bank will use that sample for the community. The donor is no longer the owner of the cord blood sample she donated, however she gets access to the services of the bank and contributes to the research and to the general health system.
Two points of view
Family banks usually say that it is important to be the exclusive owner of the cord blood they are storing on your behalf, while public banks and often medical societies advice to donate your child's umbilical cord blood to a public bank.
Where is the truth?
Make up your mind
My list of best links on the topic
Reading about this issue can help taking the right decision. Here you find a selection of existing resources.
- Types of Cord Blood Banks
- A clear and concise page published by the Parent's Guide to Cord Blood Foundation
- Public Donation Vs. Private Storage
- An interesting article by The New York Blood Center's National Cord Blood Program on Public Donation Vs. Private Storage
- Experts Tout Value of Cord Blood Bank
- An article appeared on WebMB in April 2008
- A comparison analysis
- A detailed comparison analysis made by Cryo-Cell International Inc., one of the largest family cord blood banks
- Public v Private Cord Blood Banks
- A page published on the UK NHS website
And my choice is...
After reading the content present in those (and many more) linked pages, I decided I am definitely for public banking. I like the idea of being able to help other people with something that very probably my child would have never used. And if she one day will need some help, she would very probably find a good match in a public bank too. For me it is a win-win situation!
A spare umbilical cord?
If you know you are going to have one, look for a public cord blood bank close to where you live
Public cord blood banks and programs in the world
As a service to those who like me think that public cord blood banking is the way to go, I have made a list of public cord blood banks in the world. I have included only the ones with an English website. Let me know if you know others!
- Singapore Cord Blood Bank
- Singapore Cord Blood Bank is based in Singapore.
- Shandong Umbilical Cord Blood Center (SUCBC)
- The Shandong Umbilical Cord Blood Center (SUCBC) public cord blood bank is based in Jinan, Shandong, China.
- Sydney Cord Blood Bank
- The Sydney Cord Blood Bank is based in Sydney, Australia.
- Cord Blood Bank of the Czech Republic
- The Cord Blood Bank of the Czech Republic is based Prague, Czech Republic.
- Europdonor Foundation
- The Europdonor Foundation is based in The Netherlands.
- NHS Cord Blood Bank
- The NHS Cord Blood Bank is based in Edgware, Middlesex, United Kingdom.
- Hadassah Medical Center Blood Bank
- The Hadassah Medical Center Blood Bank is based in Jerusalem, Israel.
- Sheba Cord Blood Bank
- The Sheba Cord Blood Bank is in the town of Tel Hashomer, Israel.
- Michigan Community Blood Centers Cord Blood Bank
- The Michigan Community Blood Centers Cord Blood Bank operates in Grand Rapids, Michagan, USA.
- St. Louis Cord Blood Bank
- St. Louis Cord Blood Bank is in St. Louis, Missouri, USA.
- CORD:USE Cord Blood Bank
- CORD:USE Cord Blood Bank is based in Orlando, Florida, USA.
- Cord Blood Bank at Children's Hospital of Orange County
- The Cord Blood Bank at Children's Hospital of Orange County is in Orange, California.
- Alberta Cord Blood Bank
- The Alberta Cord Blood Bank is in Edmonton, Alberta, USA.
- Carolinas Cord Blood Bank
- The Carolinas Cord Blood Bank is in Durham, North Carolina, USA.
- LifeCord
- LifeCord is based in Gainesville, Florida.
- Hawaii Cord Blood Bank
- The Hawaii Cord Blood Bank is present in Honolulu, Hawaii.
- ITxMCS Cord Blood Services
- The ITxMCS Cord Blood Services operate from Glenview, Illinois, USA.
- University of Colorado Cord Blood Bank
- The University of Colorado Cord Blood Bank is based in Aurora, Colorado, USA.
- Texas Cord Blood Bank
- The Texas Cord Blood Bank is in San Antonio, Texas.
- M.D. Anderson Cord Blood Bank
- The M.D. Anderson Cord Blood Bank is present in Houston, Texas, USA.
- Indiana Cord Blood Bank
- The Indiana Cord Blood Bank is based in Indianapolis, Indiana, USA.
- J.P. McCarthy Cord Stem Cell Bank
- The J.P. McCarthy Cord Stem Cell Bank is in Detroit, Michigan, USA.
- Gift of Life Cord Blood Program
- The Gift of Life Cord Blood Program is present in Brooklyn, New York.
- University of Iowa
- The University of Iowa is based in Iowa City, Iowa, USA.
- New York Blood Center's National Cord Blood Program
- The New York Blood Center's National Cord Blood Program is in New York.
- Puget Sound Blood Center Cord Blood Program
- The Puget Sound Blood Center Cord Blood Program is based in Puget Sound, Washington.
- Argencord
- Argencord is based in Buenos Aires, Argentina.
- The Brady Kohn Foundation
- The Brady Kohn Foundation's mission is to educate the public about the potential of stem cells from umbilical cord blood and to fund non-embryonic stem cell research.
- NY Blood Center - National Cord Blood Program
- NYBC's National Cord Blood Program and its Milstein National Cord Blood Center.
- StemCyte
- Located in the US, India and Taiwan, StemCyte has established one of the largest, most racially diverse, and highest quality cord blood stem cell banks in the world.
A cord blood duel
I am convinced about public being better than private. Would you make me change my mind?
Are Public cord blood banks the only and best option?
Fetching blurbs now... please stand byNo way, you crazy... Private rocks!
Of course, it is so obvious!
Alan says:
I agree with you and the whole story about 'biological insurance' is just a way to make you feel guilty.
Posted March 15, 2009
Videos about public cord blood banks
My selection of short videos illustrating the advantages of a public donation
What are your thoughts?
If you have any other thoughts you want to share about cord blood banking I would be glad if you decided to put them here.
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liveing peacefully
Nov 23, 2009 @ 5:58 am | delete
- Thanks for this piece of info
But did you know that there are other sources for adult stem cells as well, namely the wisdom and baby tooth
So those who missed out the chances of banking umbilical cord, still have nothing to lose
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mikeitloffe
Nov 30, 2009 @ 1:30 pm | delete
- I don't know much about it. I would be grateful if somebody could tell more about this.
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mikeitloffe
Jun 2, 2009 @ 6:01 am | in reply to Simulant | delete
- Thanks, there are few things in life it is worth to stand for.
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Simulant
Jun 2, 2009 @ 5:32 am | delete
- This is great work. It is great that you are promoting cord blood donation.
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lisarebecca
May 26, 2009 @ 5:46 pm | delete
- Great lens! Thanks for taking the time and research on it.
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In the news
- Canada's First National Public Cord Blood Bank Adopts ThermoGenesis BioArchive ...
- This will represent the first national public cord blood bank in Canada. The BioArchive System is an automated cryogenic device used by cord blood stem cell banks in more than 30 countries for cryopreserving and archiving cord blood stem cell units for ...
- Healthy Ideas - public cord blood bank
- Imperial, California (NAPSA) - When babies are born, their parents may save a life by donating the cord blood to a public cord blood bank. Many, however, are unaware of the critical need for donations, especially within the Asian community.
- ThermoGenesis system will be part of Canadian blood bank
- ThermoGenesis Corp. has received an initial order for its BioArchive System for a new public cord blood bank that will begin operations in Canada in early 2013, company officials announced Monday. Canadian Blood Services, a national charitable ...
- Howard P. Milstein, Chair of New York Blood Center (NYBC), Joins in Honoring ...
- NYBC is also home to the Lindsley F. Kimball Research Institute and the National Cord Blood Program at the Howard P. Milstein National Cord Blood Center, the world's largest public cord blood bank. NYBC provides medical services and programs (Clinical, ...
Copyright notes
The images used in this article are believed to be copyright free. If you think the opposite please let me know!
by mikeitloffe
mikeitloffe
I am a 35 year old Italo-American man. I live in Tuscany and I often love going for long walks. I recently discovered Squidoo and I am very excited ab... more »
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