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Key Findings

1. A national program has significantly increased the publicly available cord blood inventory, but the proportion of stem cell transplants using cord blood has been declining.
2. Future demand for cord blood is uncertain, and stagnating demand may force some public cord blood banks to close.
3. Cord blood transplantation is not a panacea stem cell treatment, but it is important for certain populations.
4. The RAND research team's calculations found that the value of having a public bank system far outweighs its operational costs.

Transplanted stem cells from umbilical cord blood can be a lifeline for people who have certain disorders, like leukemia. Billions of stem cells reside in just a few ounces of cord blood, which is collected painlessly from the umbilical cord after birth. Cord blood banks then test, process, and store the units of cord blood, which are frozen and ready to use when needed.