The International NetCord Foundation, NetCord, is a non-profit association of predominantly public cord blood banks. NetCord banks have released more than 10,000 units of cord blood for transplantation in adults and children.
To ensure high and uniform quality of all cord blood units in its inventory, NetCord began collaborating in 1999 with the Foundation for the Accreditation of Cellular Therapy (FACT). New editions of the FACT-NetCord Standards are published at approximately three-year intervals to keep abreast of the latest developments and requirements of high-quality banking. Joint FACT-NetCord inspections of cord blood banks began in 2001. Today the Standards are universally recognized by stem cell transplant programs.
In addition to joint standards and accreditation with FACT, NetCord promotes studies and research on cord blood collection processes, the characterization and preservation of cells, ex-vivo expansion of placental and umbilical cord blood, and quality improvement of blood components for clinical cellular therapy. The collection and analysis of clinical and treatment outcomes data is coordinated with Eurocord and the Center for International Blood and Marrow Transplant Research (CIBMTR).