Cord Blood Banking…

November 15, 2007 on 12:10 pm | In Uncategorized | 3 Comments

I usually try and stay away from “hot topics” mostly because I hate politics and I try to be happy and debates don’t make me happy. But I just ready an article on Fox News that annoyed me. The quick summary is that the AMA wants doctors to encourage mothers wishing to donate cord blood to give to public banks. That is a great idea, so why am I annoyed?

Well, when I was given the to donate or not to donate form by my OB, I thought long and hard about it and did lots of research. And the conclusion I came to… I want to save the cord blood but since nothing in either of our family’s medical histories give us any reason to do private banking, I want to donate to a public bank. So at my next appointment I talked to the nurse. And the answer I got… my hospital isn’t involved with any of the public cord blood banks and if I wanted to save the cord blood my only option was private. Not only that, but I was told that it costs a lot to process the public cord blood and they have more than they can process right now.

So, did the AMA know the realities of trying to donate to public banks when they voted for the new ethical guideline?

It reminds me of the take stairs instead of elevator campaign and when I went to visit a friend at the same hospital as mentioned above and asked where the stairs were, I was told that there were no stairs (which is impossible because of the whole fire thing).

<edited to add>A new article just popped up on my Bloglines from Fox News Health… Some Australian women are breastfeeding their children until they are 7-years-old, a new study has found… Can you say ewww…

3 Comments

  1. Aw geez… what a pain THAT is and I can’t believe Fairfax is that… what’s a good word… archaic?

    Considering what you are willing to donate, it’s… argh.

    Comment by Sue — November 15, 2007 #

  2. Oh pleaseee I do not want to be lectured on why I should donate to the public bank etc. etc. I made my decision and I’m sticking to it, but I could do without the guilt trip.

    Comment by Shalini — November 15, 2007 #

  3. I would have been happy to donate mine, and I was welcome to donate the cord blood, along with a $300 “donation” to cover processing. Um, I am giving this to you to do research with or whatever else you would like, and you want me to pay you to take it? Or they can throw it out for free? And I have a brand new baby sucking up any and all available funds? Gee, let’s think.

    Comment by Erin — November 15, 2007 #

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