Viacord Uses Non-controversial Cord Blood Stem Cells Only
Even the Pope of the Catholic Church distinguishes between cord blood stem cells and other sources of stem cells.
Read more in bold below.
To Store Cord Blood Stem Cells,or Not to Store, that is the Question? – An excerpt from a recent article in the The Parenting Review (www.parentingreview.com)
Mary Laughlin,M.D.,is an internist who has performed over 135 cord blood stem cell transplants in the US since 1994,and has published a great deal of research in cord blood stem cell transplants. As this field has evolved in recent years,we asked her for an update on answers to the questions expectant parents might have in 2003 when considering storing the placenta cord blood stem cells after the birth of their baby.
First,why might a parent store their baby's cord blood stem cells? “This is really two questions,”explains Laughlin. “What are the uses now,and what is the promise for the future? And they require two answers: what we know now in 2003 is that the clinical application of cord stem cells from a related child can cure child malignant and non- malignant blood or marrow associated diseases,like leukemia,in one of their siblings. Our success rates are better for non-malignant blood disease but the technique works in both cases. But these diseases are very rare not treating people yet. But the research underway is promising,in more common—but nonetheless life-threatening—diseases. So,if an expectant mom had asked me in 1993 whether or not to collect these cells,I would have advised her that there is no harm in doing so,but the applications are rare and the possibility of actually using these cells is not very likely. Now,however,with new potential on the horizon (within the next 5-10 years)I would change my advice. Again,I want to emphasize that while we have no direct knowledge yet,the laboratory research points to a potential efficacy for cord blood stem cells for many more diseases.
”Given that time frame,how long can these cells be stored? “ The honest answer is that we do not know,”offers Laughlin. “But in 1989,when the very first transplant was done using these types of cells,researcher Hal Broxmeyer,Ph.D,at Indiana University,had the foresight to store some of them. Dr. Broxmeyer continues to test the viability of these cells every 5 to 10 years. His findings demonstrate they remain viable. Again,I must caution that we do not routinely transplant patients with cord blood frozen for more than 10 years. What we do know is that when we look at these cells after storing them for years, there is no indication of loss."
”What is the cost of storing cord blood stems cells in relation to the benefits at this time?“ In looking at cost,one has to take into consideration the potential benefit of these stem cells, as well as their current known benefit,”says Laughlin. “We have to understand their value in terms of their future potential. For the last two centuries of medicine,doctors have used surgery or drugs as tools to help our patients and to treat disease. Drugs,however,do not alter the underlying disease. They treat the symptoms,but generally they aren't cures. Today we stand on the threshold of curing disease. Curing disease by transplanting stem cells is a huge change. The value of the investment is in this promise. If,in the next 5 to 10 years,the potential for these cells is not fully realized,anyone who had stored these cells could decide to discontinue storage or could donate them to someone who could benefit from their immediate use. If,however,the promise of stem cells exceeds even our current sense of their potential,and they had not been collected at a baby's birth,there is no way of going back to retrieve them.
”What else should parents know if they are contemplating cord blood stem cell storage?“ First,is this procedure dangerous to the mother and infant in any way? The answer is simply no—there is no risk to the baby or to the mother. The cells are collected immediately after the baby's birth,when previously these potentially valuable cells were just discarded. Second, there is a lot of confusion swirling around this issue regarding the politics and the ethics of 'stem cells.' Parents are understandably confused about the term and the topic of stem cells as discussed in the press and by politicians. It is important to emphasize that there is no religious or ethical controversy regarding cord blood stem cells. In fact, the Pope's statement on stem cell research and uses clearly distinguishes between cord blood stem cells and other stem cells; he specifically states there are no ethical concerns around the use of cord blood stem cells. I don't believe that this distinction is widely understood by the public. All types of stem cells are often lumped together in people's minds,yet everyone needs to realize that these cells—cord blood stem cells—are collected after the birth of a baby.
”Dr. Laughlin is an Associate Professor of Medicine and Pathology in the Department of Medicine,Division ofHematology/Oncology at Case Western Reserve University/University Hospital attending physician for a 30-bed inpatient service and outpatient clinic. Her clinical practice focuses on unrelated umbilical cord blood transplantation in adult and pediatric patients. Prior to joining Case Western Reserve University she served as an Assistant Professor of Medicine and Pediatrics,Division of Hematology/Oncology,Bone Marrow Transplantation at Duke University Medical Center. Her investigational and clinical trial work with innovative therapeutic strategies for the treatment of hematologic diseases using cord blood in adult transplant has resulted in multiple peer-reviewed publications including the Journal of Clinical Oncology,Blood,Stem Cells,Experimental Hematology,Bone Marrow Transplantation,and the New England Journal of Medicine.
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