Umbilical cord cell banking: an issue of self-interest versus altruism

Stem cells from umbilical cord blood probably now form one of the most commonly banked types of human tissue. Originally stored for the treatment of haematological disorders these stem cells have now been found to be more versatile, even pluripotent, with potential for use in the treatment of a broader range of disorders and diseases and may be particularly valuable in cell therapy and regenerative medicine. This has led to the promotion of private storage of cord blood cells for autologous or family use and a rapidly growing private sector involvement. There is a growing tension between public and private banking and a number of ethical issues continue to be debated involving questions of regulation and quality assurance, ownership and commercialisation, and patenting. This paper aims to investigate some of these issues.