Cord Blood: FDA Provides Information and Tips During National Cord Blood Awareness Month

With July being National Cord Blood Awareness Month, the FDA has issued some information, including facts and consumer tips related to Cord Blood. As a biological product regulated by the Food and Drug Administration, the agency is quick to point out that Cord Blood, found in the blood vessels of the placenta and the umbilical cord, is only collected after a baby is born and after the umbilical cord is cut.

“Because cord blood is typically collected after the baby is delivered and the cord is cut, the procedure is generally safe for the mother and baby,” explains Keith Wonnacott, Ph.D., Chief of the Cellular Therapies Branch in FDA’s Office of Cellular, Tissue, and Gene Therapies.

The FDA further explains that the only approved uses for Cord blood for use in “hematopoietic stem cell transplantation” procedures, which are done in patients with disorders affecting the hematopoietic (blood forming) system.

Because it contains blood-forming stem cells, the blood can be used in the treatment of patients with blood cancers such as leukemias and lymphomas, as well as certain disorders of the blood and immune systems, such as sickle cell disease and Wiskott-Aldrich syndrome.

“Cord blood is useful because it is a source of stem cells that form into blood cells. Cord blood can be used for transplantation in people who need regeneration, that is, ‘regrowth,’ of these blood-forming cells,” Wonnacott says.

In a statement, the agency continues to explain that, in many cancer patients, the disease is found in the blood cells. Chemotherapy treatment of these patients kills both cancer cells and the healthy blood-forming stem cells. Transplanted stem cells from cord blood can help regrow the healthy blood cells after the chemotherapy.

The FDA cautions consumers to understand that Cord Blood is not a cure-all however. “Because cord blood contains stem cells, there have been stem cell fraud cases related to cord blood,” says Wonnacott. “Consumers may think that stem cells can cure any disease, but science doesn’t show this to be the case. Patients should be skeptical if cord blood is being promoted for uses other than blood stem cell regeneration.”

Complete information about Cord Blood Banking, and other useful consumer tips and information can be found on the FDA web site, in the related article, posted at: http://www.fda.gov/ForConsumers/ConsumerUpdates/ucm405558.htm?source=govdelivery&utm_medium=email&utm_source=govdelivery.