Chris Smith: “2 years ago the President signed the Stem Cell Research and Therapeutic Act into law. This bipartisan legislation is…”

“2 years ago the President signed the Stem Cell Research and Therapeutic Act into law. This bipartisan legislation is designed to turn medical waste to medical miracles by deriving stem cells from umbilical cords and placentas after the birth of a child. Cord blood transplantation is saving lives and is doing so today. It is one of the most promising and exciting fields in the area of regenerative medicine. The bipartisan legislation, Madam Chair, establishes a nationwide integrated bone marrow core blood stem cell transplantation program. The good news, according to a July 13 technical assistance briefing memo by HRSA, is that six major grant recipients, Duke, New York Blood, Puget Sound Blood Center, Stem Cyte, the University of Colorado and the Anderson Cancer Center at the University of Texas have received funds for state-of-the-art programs that are now part of the newly created National Cord Blood Inventory. With significant infrastructure now in place, and more blood grant centers imminent, and single point of access to facilitate the delivery of those units, more than 4,600 units of lifesaving cord blood has already been collected. HRSA reports that approximately $22 million from fiscal years 2004 and 2007 appropriations will make collection of some 17,000 cord blood units possible by the end of fiscal year 2007. "The question is--then what?"”