We read with interest the editorial and viewpoint papers concerning cord blood banking that appeared in the NZMJ (Vol 118 No 1208, 28 January 2005. URL: http://www.nzma.org.nz/journal/118-1208/). As the Medical Director of Cordbank in New Zealand, I would like the opportunity to correct some inaccuracies in the papers and to put forward the private cord blood banking argument.

There have been about 6000 cord blood transplants performed around the world, and indeed more than 2000 were performed last year alone,1 which is substantially more than the 3000 claimed by Sullivan et al.2 Whilst the majority of cord blood transplants were performed using donated cord blood, a significant number used a matched sibling’s cord blood and there were some autologous transplants. In New Zealand, there is no public cord blood bank and therefore the only option for parents who wish to store their baby’s cord blood, is a private cord blood bank.

Under New Zealand law, Cordbank may only store cord blood for the person from whom it was taken. We acknowledge the usefulness of cord blood for a matched relative and are therefore meeting with the Ministry of Health in the hope of advancing a law change that would negate the need for parents to seek an exemption from the Minister of Health should cord blood be useful for a close relative.

Cordbank also rejects the criticism that our information does not differentiate between an allogeneic and an autologous transplant. We have modified our information in response to the Australasian Haemaologists’ Society, and have had the changes approved by our Medical Advisor Dr Lochie Teague who is the Clinical Director of Paediatric Haematology at The Starship Hospital Auckland as well as medical advisor to Cordbank.

Cordbank would also fully support the establishment of a public cord blood bank should the funding become available for this. At present, where a cord blood unit is required for transplantation then the unit is purchased from an international cord blood bank at a cost to the New Zealand tax payer of up to $25,000.

Medsafe perform a stringent annual audit on Cordbank thus ensuring the quality of our product. There is also evidence that cord blood stem cells are viable after 15 years if stored in appropriate conditions,3 and hence it would seem possible to extrapolate that these cells are able to be stored indefinitely should the regenerative claims of cord blood stem cells become a reality.

Cordbank provides New Zealand parents with the option of cord blood banking. We make no untrue claims, have taken the best advice available and are processing the cord blood in compliance with the most stringent auditing conditions.