CBA Seeks Harmony for Rules and Regulations

Issued:  Jan. 17, 2017

Rules and regulations for cord blood banking vary greatly around the world, complicating the movement of critically needed cells from country to country. Harmonizing the disparate rules is a task now under way by a CBA committee with representatives from 13 nations.  

The first step of the CBA Government and Global Affairs Committee is the development of specific guidelines for cord blood banking laws and regulations. The guidelines are expected to address factors such as donor screening, consent and education, collection, manufacturing, testing, release and potency, shipping and transportation, quality management, registry participation and data sharing, outcomes monitoring, and novel cell therapies and regenerative medicine. 

When the draft model is ready, CBA members will be given an opportunity to review and comment before it is adopted as association policy. The plan is to then assist local cord blood banks that want the guidelines implemented in regulations and accreditation standards in their country. 

Committee members working on the harmonization project are: