Umbilical cord blood banking: economic and therapeutic challenges

Abstract

Since the first successful transplantation of umbilical cord blood in 1987, cord blood has become an important source of haematopoietic stem cells for the treatment of blood and genetic disorders. Important progress has been accompanied by challenges for scientists, ethicists and health policy-makers. With the increasing focus on cord blood as an alternative to human embryos and as a source of tissue for regenerative medicine, umbilical cord blood stem cells have attracted significant attention. In this paper, we review the therapeutic challenges and the competition between private and public cord blood banks, and also between cord blood inventories and bone marrow registries. We provide an international overview of banking activities, with a special focus on the French paradox. From access to bioresources to patent controversies, we analyse the economic impact of cord blood banking on health policies, and then discuss some ethical dilemmas of stem cell research.