Stem Cell Re-authorization Bill Introduced
The Stem Cell Therapeutic and Research Reauthorization Act of 2010, was introduced re-authorizing the original 2005 act that extends funding for the C.W. Bill Young Cell Transplantation and National Cord Blood Inventory (NCBI) programs for another 5 years through 2015 by Sens. Orrin Hatch (R-Utah), Chris Dodd (D-Conn.), John Ensign (R-Nev.), Jack Reed (D-R.I.), Richard Burr (R-N.C.) and Al Franken (D-Minn.).
The legislation would reauthorize a combined $53 M in funding for the 2 programs in each of the 5 years. It would further require:
- Qualified cord blood banks to develop an annual plan and demonstrate ongoing progress toward achieving self-sufficiency,
- Cord blood banks to provide a plan on how to increase cord blood collection and help establish or contract with new collection sites,
- The collection and maintenance of at least 150,000 new units of high-quality cord blood for transplantation through the C.W. Bill Young Cell Transplantation Program,
- Further studies and demonstration projects to explore increasing cord blood donation and collection from a genetically diverse population,
- The extension of privacy protections included in the original statue for cord blood transplant patients and donors to bone marrow transplant patients and donors.
Sen. Hatch said: “This bill will ensure that medical advances involving bone marrow and cord blood transplants will continue. Sen. Dodd said: “Cord blood stem cells and bone marrow can help save lives while easing the suffering and pain of thousands of brave individuals battling debilitating diseases. Sen. Reed said: “This bill builds upon the highly successful National Marrow Donor Program that has been a life line for thousands of transplant patients for over the last several decades,” Sen. Ensign said: “We need to find a way to expand our research of adult stem cells and ways to utilize these promising methods to treat disease,”. Sen. Burr said: “I am proud to support this life-saving legislation to renew and strengthen our commitment to the C.W. Bill Young Cell Transplantation Program and the National Cord Blood Inventory and the patients and families it serves,” Sen. Franken said: “Bone marrow and cord blood stem cell transplants bring life to thousands of Americans with devastating diseases like leukemia and lymphoma, among others.
Since its inception, the National Bone Marrow Donor Program has provided more than 35,000 transplants to these patients . (HWM and US Fed News – HT Syndication)
