Cord Blood Bank of Arkansas

About

The Cord Blood Bank of Arkansas launched operations in 2011. They accept donations from any hospital in the state of Arkansas. They also accept donations from bordering states so long as the donor is an Arkansas resident.

In 2007 the state of Arkansas passed a Newborn Umbilical Cord Initiative Act that  encourages tax payers to donate their tax refund towards the creation of a statewide cord blood banking program.  The University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) hosts the bank.  UAMS is the only comprehensive academic health center in Arkansas, and already hosts a stem cell laboratory.  The medical director of the stem cell lab, pathologist Michele Fox M.D., directs the cord blood bank.

Plans call for the Cord Blood Bank of Arkansas to have a hybrid business model, offering both public and private cord blood banking.  Services will be available statewide, with couriers to transport the blood. For more information contact Plummer Badger RN, BSN, Cord Blood Coordinator.