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Cord Blood Bank Comparison Chart

Family Cord Blood Services' Cord Blood Direct promotes the essentials of quality cord blood banking: premium service, state-of-the-art processing and storage, and long term corporate stability. Selecting a cord blood bank is an important decision and we believe there are clear differences in cord blood banks beyond the AABB accreditation. Below is a chart detailing some key factors about Family Cord Blood Services and other leading AABB accredited facilities. Compare for yourself!

Family Cord Blood Services Cord Blood Registry ViaCord Cryo-Cell
* Updated as of November 2007 from company websites
AABB Accredited

American Association of Blood Banks

Family Cord Blood Services is accredited with the American Association of Blood Banks (AABB). Since 1957, AABB has been a leader in the development of standards for voluntary compliance in blood bank blood component collection, processing and transfusion. In 1991, the AABB published its first Standards for Hematopoietic Progenitor Cells which covers the collection, processing and transplantation of marrow, peripheral blood and umbilical cord blood progenitor cells.

The AABB Accreditation Program strives to improve the quality and safety of collecting, processing, testing, distributing and administering blood and blood products. The Accreditation Program assesses the quality and operational systems in place within the facility. The basis for assessment includes compliance with Standards, Code of Federal Regulations and federal guidance documents. This independent assessment of a facilitys operations helps the facility to prepare for other inspections and serves as a valuable tool to improve both compliance and operations. Accreditation is granted for collection, processing, testing, distribution, and administration of blood and blood components; hematopoietic progenitor cell activities; cord blood activities; perioperative activities; parentage testing activities; immunohematology reference laboratories and SBB schools.

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FDA Registered

FDA Registered

Our facility is registered with the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). We follow FDA guidelines for testing, processing, storing, labeling, and distribution of umbilical cord blood stem cells.

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AFCBB

Association of Family Cord Blood Banks

Family Cord Blood Services belongs to the Association of Family Cord Blood Banks (AFCBB). AFCBB is an organization representing the family (private) cord blood banking industry and serves as the voice and advocate in matters of public policy, regulation and in the development of standards by accrediting organizations. The association believes that the foundation of public and private cord blood banking rests upon education of both expectant parents and physicians and upon informed consent.

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PharmaStem Licensed

PharmaStem Licensed

In April 2004, Family Cord Blood Services obtained the license for the entire portfolio of PharmaStem patents. This licensing agreement demonstrates our continued leadership in the cord blood banking industry and ensures that your cord blood will be processed and stored according to industry standards and without patent infringement. It also ensures that all past and future cord blood samples processed and stored with Family Cord Blood Services are safe from potential litigation and uncertain future.

Several companies have elected to not become PharmaStem licensed. Cord blood banks that did not enter into a licensing agreement are in current litigation with PharmaStem, and your child's cord blood may be jeopardized in the future.

For more information on PharmaStem Therapeutics and to understand more about the importance of choosing a cord blood bank that is PharmaStem licensed, please visit PharmaStem Therapeutics.

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CLIA

Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendment

Family Cord Blood Services follows the Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendment (CLIA) standards, which is a law passed by Congress in 1998 to regulate clinical laboratories to ensure quality in lab protocols and patient safety.

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Collection Method (industry standard bag) vials & bags
Collection Kit with thermal stabilizers
Public Donation
Option™

Public Donation Option™

Family Cord Blood Services' Public Donation OptionSM offers expectant families the opportunity to make your babys cord blood stem cells available to others in need. By signing up for the Donation OptionSM, you're indicating your interest in donating your baby's cord blood stem cells after a minimum of 10 years of private storage before listing the cord blood on the public donation registry.
Years in Business 30 15 14 14
Total 1st Year Fee $1650 $2150 $2120 $1720