The Israeli national public Cord Blood Bank

The blood collected from the placenta, after a baby is born, contains Cord blood (CB) stem cells, which have the potential to replace bone-marrow and other tissues in the body, and are currently used as an alternative source for transplantation in patients with congenital or malignant diseases.

CB has certain properties that hold promise for the evolving field of cellular selection, expansion, and gene therapy. In addition, the relative ease of access and ample supply of CB units presents the possibility of establishing cord blood "banks" where a ready supply of harvested cells could be stored to meet the transplantation needs especially of ethnically diverse patient populations.

With its nationwide reputation and expertise in collection, processing, and distribution of high-quality blood products, MDA Blood Services is operating, since 2004, the Israeli National Public Cord Blood Bank program, in collaboration with leading medical centers and supporting associations in Israel. About 100 patients can be saved by these cells in Israel each year.

After receiving the "new" mothers consent to voluntarily donate them, The CB units are collected by MDA-trained midwives and phlebotomists, in maternity wards of leading medical centers in Israel and in the Red Crescent Maternity hospital in East Jerusalem. The units are daily transported to MDA blood services laboratories, to be tested, processed and stored under -196°c, in a specially designed freezer, for future usage in patients who need stem cell transplantation to save their lives

The determination of the tissue-typing of the cells (HLA) and the management of the international data and registry of the CB units are performed at Hadassah University medical center in Jerusalem. The cost of handling one CB unit is 1000 US$. When a matched cord blood unit is found, it is supplied by MDA blood services to the patient in need of transplantation.

By establishing a nationwide network for the collection, testing, processing, storing and supply of cord blood units, MDA can once again be in the forefront of helping patients around the world, in urgent need of advanced treatment modalities.

We thank you for your interest and aspiration to donate.

We wish you a smooth delivery and much health

MDA Blood Services & Blood Cord Unit Staff

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