A few weeks ago, we wrote about a federal bill to educate expectant parents about cord blood banking. Ohio is not even waiting for the federal government to consider it, the state is in the process of passing its own legislation.
Cord blood banking is an important opportunity for expectant parents and it is beneficial for them to have unbiased information about such options. According to the legislation, doctors in Ohio will be required to educate their patients about cord blood storage precess and will provide information to help with the decision process.
Parents in Ohio parents will have all of the information available to them in order to make an informed decision about banking baby’s cord blood.
M.A.Z.E. Cord Blood Laboratories is in favor of any programs that encourage the education of expectant parents. We work closely with non-profit educational organizations (as well as our local public bank) to ensure that parents have all the information they need to be comfortable with their decision.
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June 29th, 2009
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CTV recently ran a story about a young Canadian boy, Lucas Blake, who is searching for a stem cell match. Lucas is suffering from Fanconi anemia, an inherited disorder where the patient’s bone marrow is unable to manufacture new blood cells. His father is Jamaican and his mother is Portuguese, making a mixed race match even more challenging. Since a cord blood match requires matching DNA markers and HLA antigens, it is even more difficult to find a stem cell match for a mixed-race patient.
A few years ago, the family was excited to learn that they were expecting a baby. Their older son was not a match for Lucas, maybe the new baby would be. The family might be able to use the new baby’s cord blood to treat Lucas. Unfortunately, the new baby was not a match and, he too was suffering from Fanconi’s anemia.
According to the story, 70% of patients are unable to find a stem cell match within their family. This is why cord blood banks and bone marrow registries are so important. A baby’s birth is the only time that cord blood can be saved. Unfortunately, there is no way to know at birth if the cord blood will be needed. While bone marrow registries and public cord blood banks offer options, they can’t guarantee a match.
Learn more about the differences between public vs. private cord blood banking.
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June 18th, 2009
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M.A.Z.E. Cord Blood Laboratories is offering a $500 savings bond giveaway.
Dedicated to helping parents save money, M.A.Z.E. will give one lucky family a $500 savings bond to help you start saving for college. No purchase is necessary to win.
While you are on the site reading about cord blood banking, vist the savings bond giveaway page for a chance to win!
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June 11th, 2009
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Popular Science recently published an in-depth article on stem cell research and some of the treatments that scientists are exploring with stem cells. While a large part of the article is dedicated to embryonic stem cells, the writer includes quite a bit of information on cord blood stem cells as well. It is a great article and offers a wonderful explanation of the different types of stem cells that are currently being explored.
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June 4th, 2009
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In the past, we have posted about experimental stem cell therapies, but, it is so important, we have to mention it again. When we say experimental, we are not talking about the research that is conducted through major universities, using established research methods to determine if a treatment is effective. We are talking about companies in other countries that prey on the fears of parents with sick children, charging hundreds of thousands of dollars for unproven therapies.
As parents, we completely understand parents’ desire to do everything possible for their children. The problem is that nobody knows if any of these treatments work. Since they have never been tested with established research protocols, there is no way to know if they are effective.
China is one of the major markets in this industry. The Chinese government has announced that it plans to regulate the burgeoning stem cell industry to prevent unscrupulous companies from profiting in this rapidly growing market. The question is whether the regulations will be developed to protect existing medical treatment companies. Developments in the Chinese stem cell industry will be interesting in the next few months and deserve observation.
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May 27th, 2009
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Last week, Representative Jackie Speier (D-CA) introduced a new bill, referred to as the Cord Blood Education and Awareness Act of 2009. This bill will direct the Secretary of Health and Human Services to conduct a public education campaign on umbilical cord blood stem cells.
Expectant moms will receive an informed consent providing balanced information on the different options for banking cord blood, information on the medical value of cord blood stem cells in the treatment of disease, and a declaration of a woman’s chosen option for the disposition of a child’s cord blood stem cells, whether public donation, private banking, or other disposal.
Physicians providing ambulatory prenatal care will need to provide information on the options available with cord blood banking to expectant women before they start their 3rd trimester. They will also need to get the woman’s signature on the consent form regarding the disposition of the baby’s cord blood.
This bill would do a great job of evening out the field for access to information. Physicians will provide unbiased information to expectant parents, enuring that parents are able to make an informed decision about banking their infant’s cord blood. In addition, healthcare providers will have the information on the parents’ choice, ensuring that their wishes are
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May 6th, 2009
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If you have been researching cord blood banking, you have probably heard of the AABB, the organization that accredits blood banks, including labs that process cord blood. The AABB publishes a monthly newsletter for its member blood banks.
This months issue of AABB News focuses on the growth of cord blood and cord blood banking. The feature story is dedicated to the exploration of research initiatives examining the use of cord blood for the treatment of diseases such as Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s and diabetes. These are just a few of the exciting areas where cord blood is at the forefront of medical research.
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April 28th, 2009
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With the investigation of embryonic stem cells as potential treatment for diseases, stem cells have become very controversial. Parents wonder if banking their infant’s cord blood will be controversial. The short answer is no. Cord blood stem cells are used to nourish a baby while the baby is in-utero. Once the baby is delivered, the cord blood stem cells typically become medical waste.
This “medical waste” can be saved to treat a number of different diseases and is not controversial at all. The controversy revolves around the use of embryonic stem cells which are grown from existing embryos. Many religions believe that these stem cells compose a living being, making the use of them unethical. Since cord blood stem cells do not develop into a human, there is no controversy.
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April 20th, 2009
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Last week, US representatives Ron Kind (D-WI), Wally Herger (R-CA), Artur Davis (D-AL), Bill Pascrell Jr. (D-NJ) and Mike Thompson (D-CA) introduced the Family Cord Blood Banking Act. This act will amend Internal Revenue code to add cord blood banking services as a qualified medical expense. This would allow individuals and couples to pay for umbilical cord blood banking services through flexible spending accounts (FSAs), health savings accounts (HSAs), health reimbursement arrangements (HRAs) or the medical expense tax deduction.
Cord blood is used to treat more than 70 diseases in adults and children. Since it can only be banked during a baby’s birth, it makes sense for it to be a qualified medical expense. This legislation could make this an option for more families facing potentially life-threatening diseases, increase the supply of cord blood stem cells and lower the cost for families in the future.
This measure is supported by the Brain Injury Association of America, the National Association of Nurse Practitioners in Women’s Health, and the Parent’s Guide to Cord Blood Foundation.
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April 2nd, 2009
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Researcher, Larry Denner, at the University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston, is hoping to use cord blood to cure diabetes. Denner has discovered a method to engineer insulin producing cells from cord blood stem cells.
His research protocol was developed through the analysis of the normal embryological development of the pancreas. While he has not actually developed a pancreas, he has been successful in creating cells that can manufacture insulin.
Denner believes that his protocol might someday be used to create a completely new pancreas for a patient. While that is a possibility, he is currently concentrating his research on whether the insulin producing cells, that he has created in the laboratory, can help patients with diabetes.
Learn more about the different cord blood treatments.
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March 24th, 2009
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