FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASEFrom: Martinez, Eduardo [Eduardo.Martinez@asm.ca.gov]
Sent: Wednesday, June 27, 2007 5:34 PM
Subject: Press Release -- Legislation to Establish the California Umbilical Cord Blood Collection Program is Approved by Senate Health Committee
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT: Eduardo Martinez
June 27, 2007 916-319-2044
Legislation to Establish the California Umbilical Cord Blood Collection Program is Approved by Senate Health Committee
Assembly Bill 34 would create a widely accessible public umbilical cord blood banking program that could bring the cure to hundreds of blood related diseases like leukemia and sickle cell anemia
Sacramento – Today, the Senate Health Committee approved Assembly Bill 34, authored by Assemblymember Portantino (D – La Cañada Flintridge). If enacted, AB 34 would establish a statewide public umbilical blood collection program to promote the life-saving potential of stem cells derived from umbilical cord blood.
“Today’s vote was a victory for thousands of Californians anxiously waiting for donors,” said Portantino. “Stems cells from cord blood can cure hundreds of blood related diseases, the procedure to collect it is free from any bioethical debate, yet cord blood is routinely thrown away because we lack the infrastructure to make it available to those who need it. Of the 500,000 births in California, we collect umbilical cord blood from a mere 3% of those births. We can do better.”
Blood retrieved from the umbilical cord is a rich source of stem cells. Like bone marrow, cord blood can be used to treat various genetic disorders that affect the blood and immune system, leukemia and certain cancers, and other inherited disorders. According to the National Marrow Donor Program, there are 35,000 people who could benefit from marrow or cord blood transplants each year, many of whom die as a result of being unable to find suitable matches. This problem is exacerbated for communities of color who are less likely to find bone marrow matches and suffer from diseases such as sickle cell anemia. Once fully implemented, AB 34 will collect cord blood for widespread public use, but especially in ethnically diverse parts of the state.
AB 34 also addresses a fundamental barrier to cord blood usage: affordability. “When my wife and I tried to donate our daughter’s cord blood, we found it extremely difficult and onerous to do,” explained Portantino. Indeed, commercial blood banks typically charge an initiation fee of between $1000 to $2000 and an annual maintenance fee of between $50 and $150, making cord blood banking unavailable to many Californians. “That experience made me realize that we’re simply not yet prepared to make cord blood as available as it should be.”
AB 34, the first bill Assemblymember Portantino introduced when he was sworn-in in December, received unanimous support from the Senate Health Committee.
Assemblymember Anthony Portantino was elected to serve the 44th Assembly District in November of 2006. The district encompasses Altadena, Duarte, La Canada Flintridge, Pasadena, South Pasadena and Temple City. It also includes portions of Arcadia, Monrovia, Mayflower Village and the Northeast Los Angeles neighborhoods of Glassell Park, Hermon, Highland Park, Mount Washington and Eagle Rock.
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