Cord Blood Transplantation: A Promising Future

It appears that umbilical cord blood transplants may successfully supplement the need for bone marrow transplants. Collecting cord blood is simple, immediate, noninvasive, and inexpensive. However, the blood needs to be harvested and stored properly. The degree of matching does not seem to be as essential with cord blood transplants as with bone marrow transplants. This benefit may successfully bypass the availability issues with ethnic groups. Preliminary experience with cord blood transplants into unrelated patients has also been promising. Third party payers have indicated support for reimbursing cord blood transplants.