What Are The Differences Between Family And Donor Cord Blood Banking

At the end of September, Canada launched its first ever national donor cord blood banking program at The Ottawa Hospital.  The launch put Canada on par with other developed nations as families can now choose between donor and family cord blood banking programs.

But the two programs raise a number of questions among curious Canadians as to the differences between the two options.  The primary difference is that a family cord blood program guarantees that the cord blood sample is available solely for use within the family, whereas a donor program does not guarantee a family could potentially benefit from their own cord blood sample.

However, there are many other differences besides the means in which the two programs operate.  Family programs typically bank 98 percent of collected cord blood samples, with the remaining 2 percent declined based on diminished health of the mother at delivery.  On the other hand, donor programs store only around 50 percent of collected samples, which are based on strict health criteria.

Family programs are often partnered with multiple hospitals across the country, whereas the donor program is currently only accessible in Ottawa.  Families that receive cord blood stem cell therapy through a sample from a donor bank typically are unaware of the medical history of the family that made the donation.  On the other hand, family programs provide each family their own banked sample immediately upon request, if ever the need arises.

One concern shared among many families is the cost of a family cord blood banking program, which typically charges an upfront processing fee along with an annual storage fee in the neighbourhood of $100 to $125.  While donor banks charge no upfront cost, the estimated long-term cost to the national healthcare system averages around $37,000 – charges that are inevitably passed onto all Canadians through associated medical fees.

Despite the differences between the two options, families are encouraged to bank their baby’s cord blood in a manner that fulfills their individual needs, rather than tossing the umbilical cord away immediately post-birth.  There is more information to compare the two options available in this newsletter.