What is the difference between a public and private cord blood bank?
When deciding what to do with your cord blood you have three choices: donate to a public bank, contract with a private bank or discard it as medical waste. A public bank (non-profit) like the American Red Cross takes in donations for use of the greater public. A private bank (for-profit) offers you the opportunity to bank exclusively for you and your family making the stem cells available when you need them most, allowing treatment to begin almost immediately, without time spent searching for a match. Plus, cord blood stem cells are a perfect match for the baby and can potentially be used to treat other family members.
