Umbilical cord blood banking: public good or private benefit? In reply.

Abstract

IN REPLY: Roberts asserts that we are biased, paternalistic and driven by an ideological objection to private umbilical cord blood (UCB) storage. While this is impressive rhetoric, it bears little resemblance to the points made in our article. 1 Contrary to Roberts’ assertion, we do not object to private UCB storage. Our primary concern is that marketing campaigns make misleading or grandiose claims about the possible application of privately stored UCB in cancer care andregenerative medicine. For, although stem cell research does have great promise, it remains clinically unproven in the management of degenerative conditions. Offering hope of cure or amelioration of illness based on scientific speculation is enormously problematic, especially when directed at vulnerable parents concerned about their unborn child...