ETHICAL ASPECTS OF BANKING PLACENTAL BLOOD FOR TRANSPLANTATION

Transplantation of blood cells harvested from the umbilical cord immed iately after birth has been effective in repopulating the bone marrow. These placental blood transplantations may be safer than conventional bone marrow transplantations and may suspend the need to harvest bone marrow, a process fraught with difficulties. Further understanding an d advancement of this emerging technology require developing large ban ks of placental blood. In this article, we examine some of the ethical issues associated with placental blood banking, including (1) questio ns about ownership of the tissue, (2) the necessity and nature of obta ining informed consent from parents for harvesting placental blood and the information-gathering process associated with it, (3) obligations to notify parents and children of the results of medical testing for infectious diseases and genetic information, (4) matters of privacy an d confidentiality related to such information, and (5) the need for fa ir and equitable harvesting of and access to placental blood.