Requires healthcare and wellness education and outreach on the donation of postnatal tissue and fluids

BILL NUMBER:S6662

Title of bill

An act to amend the public health law, in relation to healthcare and wellness education and outreach programs on the donation of postnatal tissue and fluids

Purpose or idea of general bill

To encourage and establish awareness for the options for storage and collection of undifferentiated biological cells from the non-controversial source of umbilical cord blood by requiring doctors and hospitals to discuss cord blood banking options with pregnant patients before their third trimester of pregnancy.

Summary of specific provisions

Amends Subdivision 1 of section 207 of the public health law by adding a new paragraph which would allow the department to conduct education and outreach programs that relate to the full range of options for storage or donation of postnatal tissue and fluids no later than thirty days from the commencement of such patients' third trimester of pregnancy or at the first consultation between the attending physician of the hospital, whichever is later.

Justification

Undifferentiated biological cells that can separate into specialized cells and divide to produce more cells are the building blocks of our bodies and the foundation of our immune system. Umbilical cord blood, or the blood that remains in a newborn's umbilical cord after birth, is a rich source of undifferentiated biological cells. Collecting cord blood offers a once in a life time opportunity to obtain these potentially lifesaving specialized biological cells. Cord blood cells, which generally do not require a perfect match, have already been used in treating over 20,000 patients for a wide range of diseases, including types of leukemia, sickle-cell anemia, immunodeficiency, marrow failure and genetic diseases that call for transplants, as well as being clinically tested for treatments of other disorders including Type 1 Diabetes and Cerebral Palsy as well as studies to reverse hearing loss in infants and toddlers, utilizing undifferentiated biological cells from cord blood to repair damaged inner ears. A noteworthy advantage of the use of these cord blood biological cells is that these types of transplants have a much less stringent genetic matching requirement between donor and recipient. As opposed to traditional bone-marrow transplants where all six key Human Leukocyte Antigens must match up; a cord blood biological cell transplant only requires a match of four. This looser requirement lowers the chance of rejection from the recipient's body compared to undifferentiated bone marrow cells. In addition to offering safer and easier collection, cord blood biological cells have more matches, faster availability, more ethnic diversity, reduced risk of potentially fatal transplant complications (GHVD), and fewer infections.

Unfortunately, despite information campaigns by the state, experts still estimate that 99% of this lifesaving resource is discarded after birth. The State has an interest in ensuring that valuable information about cord blood banking options is made available to pregnant woman in a way that gives these women the opportunity to make an informed decision - a decision that could potentially save the life of their child or relative or a recipient of donated biological cells. This law

will require hospitals and doctors to discuss cord blood banking options with pregnant patients before the third trimester of pregnancy.

Prior legislative history

(2011-12) A.9300 Referred to Health (2013-14) A.5246 Referred to Health

Fiscal implications

None

Effective date

This act shall take effect 120 days after it shall have become law.