Value of Umbilical Stem Cell

Value of Umbilical Stem Cell Research in Curing Disease

Stem cells have received much attention because of their unique capacity to renew themselves and morph into several different types of specialized cells. They are heralded as the best hope for patients suffering from illnesses such as Parkinson's Disease.

However, the practice of harvesting stem cells from aborted fetuses has received much criticism from conservative groups, prompting President Bush to halt federal funding for stem cell research.

This paper argues that there is a way to accommodate these ethical concerns, while reaping the benefits of stem cell research. Umbilical cords are a viable source of stem cells, and do not raise the same ethical issues as harvesting from fetuses. Therefore, parents should be strongly encouraged to donate their newborns' umbilical cords to public and private banks, to provide scientists with a source of stem cells for their life-saving research.

There are several reasons why parents should consider banking their offspring's umbilical cords. First, umbilical cords are a viable source of pluripotent stem cells, an invaluable scientific resource. Unlike stem cells harvested from adults, these pluripotent cells retain their ability to grow into any type of cell or tissue. This capacity makes these cells more suitable for treatment of a variety of diseases, such as the regeneration of a severed spinal cord or of muscular tissues. In fact, many researchers consider umbilical argue that stem cells from umbilical cords are far safer for patients. Cord stem cells are far less likely to grow into tumors, a side-effect observed in the use of stem cells from fetuses and adults (Seppa 323).

Already, umbilical cord stem cells are proving remarkably promising in the treatment of diseases. Researchers have already identified some 67 afflictions that have been successfully treated with cord blood stem cells (Smith 87), and more illnesses are being added to that list. Researchers at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, for example, have released a study regarding the use of cord blood stem cells in the treatment of Krabbe's Disease, a fatal disorder of the central nervous system. Babies born with this hereditary disease suffer seizures, blindness, deafness and feeding problems before death at around age two. However, the researchers found that infusing newborns at birth with the cord blood stem cells from an unrelated donor are still alive well past their second birthday. Though some of the children show problems walking, majority score normally on cognitive development tests and all the children exhibit normal vision (Seppa 323).

Many adults have also reaped the benefits of transfusions of stem cells from banked umbilical cords. Stephen Sprague, for example, was diagnosed with end-stage leukemia. However, he remains cancer-free and healthy six years after his cord blood stem cell transplant (Peterson 56).

In addition to its research value, umbilical cords are a non-controversial and plentiful resource for stem cells. The birth of a baby is already an occasion for joy, and the fact that umbilical cords could save the lives of others is another joyful fringe benefit. Four million babies are born every year in the United States (Smith 87), making umbilical cords a ready resource. Because these umbilical cords come from the product of procreation, they do not raise the same ethical objections as those who are opposed to the harvesting of fetal stem cells or to cloning, another potential source of pluripotent cells.

Donating or banking a baby's umbilical cord is itself an invaluable donation to people afflicted with degenerative diseases. However, many children could themselves benefit if their own umbilical cords were stored in banks for possible future use. People with family histories of blood disease, for example, could benefit greatly from a private supply of compatible blood cells. Mixed-ethnicity children could also stand to benefit, since this population often experiences difficulty finding genetically compatible donors for organs or bone marrow (Peterson 56).

The sad reality is that despite its many benefits, the use of stem cells from umbilical cords is hampered by a lack of supply. There are private banks that extract and store a baby's umbilical stem cells for private use, but the costs are too prohibitive for most families. For many private banks, parents have to pay $1,300 up front for the extraction, and an additional $95 each year for storage. Also, many parents are simply unaware of the importance of umbilical stem cells. Sprage, a beneficiary of a cord stem cell transplantation, finds it disturbing that "most cord blood ends up as medical waste." (Peterson 56). Furthermore, private banking limits the use of cord blood cells to families, and does not cater to a wider audience.

An obvious solution to this dilemma is public cord-blood banks, which are funded by the government and available for everyone to use. Umbilical cords should be automatically collected at the hospital, while allowing for parents to extract blood for private cord banking if they wish. The collected umbilical cords can then be stored at various public umbilical cord banks across the country, and be retrieved as necessary. A national cataloging system could further ensure that a Missouri resident who needs stem cells could possibly find a genetic match in a public cord bank in California (Smith 88).

Already the Lower House of Congress has signified its agreement, by passing the Bone Marrow and Cord Blood Therapy and Research Act of 2005. This bill is still pending in the Senate. If approved, the bill would establish a system of umbilical cord banking, using public funds. Parents will be allowed to donate cord blood at no cost, and there will be sufficient funds to maintain the quality of the banked stem cells (Smith 88). Because the banks are public, everyone in the country will be assured of equal access, regardless of socio-economic status. The public banking system also ensures a greater genetic diversity of stem cells, a boon for researchers as well as the growing number of mixed-race residents in the United States.