The "Public Donation Option" enables parents who want to store their baby's cord blood the opportunity to protect their own family, while at the same time being able to provide their potential life-saving umbilical cord blood stem cells for others in need.

Dr. Charles A. Sims, Co-Founder and Medical Director of Family Cord Blood Services, said: "A very large burden has been placed on public cord blood banks due to inadequate funding that has caused a national shortage of publicly available cord blood units. Cord blood is in many ways a nearly ideal source of stem cells and is among the fastest growing in new applications. We strongly support the growth and development of public cord blood banks and further believe that private and public cord blood banking are complementary in the goal of providing safe and effective options for stem cell therapies. With rare exceptions, the best source of stem cells are those of an HLA-matched close relative. If there is not a suitable related donor, public banks play a vital role. This new program will allow families to protect themselves and at the same time enable them to potentially donate their cord blood to the public."

With cord blood stem cells possessing the proven ability to treat and cure approximately 45 malignant and non-malignant diseases, including leukemia, lymphomas, and various other blood and genetic disorders, and with millions of dollars being spent annually on further research, its uses are expected to expand and treat many additional conditions. While umbilical cord blood stem cells are a complete match for that child, they are more commonly needed for diseases where a close relative is the ideal donor.

In explaining how FCBS' "Public Donation Option" works, Kaj Rydman, President of Family Cord Blood Services, commented: "Our 'Public Donation Option' is a variant of private cord blood banking. It is family cord blood banking done in such a way that will make it possible for a family to make their cord blood publicly available should they choose to do so. To be considered for this program, at the time of storing their cord blood, families must elect our 'Public Donation Option.' The cord blood will be stored for ten years prior to offering it for public donation, at which time, and upon the family's request, we will post the cord blood on the national registry. If there is then a need for the cord blood, we will contact the donor family to secure consent to donate. Should the cord blood be chosen and released for transplant, costs may be refunded as determined by publicly accepted standards and practices."

About Family Cord Blood Services

Family Cord Blood Services (www.familycordbloodservices.com), formerly California Cryobank Stem Cell Services, an umbilical cord blood processing and storage company, was founded as a division of California Cryobank (CCB) eight years ago by the same veteran team of physician visionaries that earned CCB its global reputation of excellence. Today, Family Cord Blood Services' sophisticated process of stem cell freezing in cord blood processing and storage, serves families throughout the US and worldwide. Family Cord Blood Services' staff includes on-site, licensed clinical laboratory scientists with extensive blood banking experience. The company is licensed by PharmaStem and holds a biologics license from the State of California, a tissue bank license from the State of New York and is accredited by the American Association of Blood Banks (AABB). Its facility is registered with the Food and Drug Administration.