Public Donation Option FAQs

Why has FamilyCord decided to offer a Public Donation Option?
FamilyCord established the Public Donation OptionSM to give you more choices for your umbilical cord stem cells in the future. By enrolling in the Public Donation Option, you have the option to list your child's umbilical cord blood in a public donation registry to benefit another family if you decide not to continue cord blood storage for exclusive family use only.

How does the Public Donation Option differ from private cord blood banking?
Our Public Donation OptionSM gives clients the best of both worlds. You can store your baby's cord blood for family use and then donate it if and when you decide not to store it any more for your family's exclusive use.

Is FamilyCord considered a public bank now?
No. FamilyCord is a private cord blood bank that offers you the opportunity to release your cord blood unit for public donation in the future while maintaining control of your sample now.

When must I enroll for the Public Donation OptionSM? Can I enroll for the Public Donation OptionSM if I am already a couple of years into my private cord blood banking?
Due to regulatory requirements, the decision to become a part of the Public Donation OptionSM must be made at the time of enrollment. At this time, you must fill out a health questionnaire, separate from the private cord blood banking forms, to determine eligibility for our Public Donation Option program. If you were not initially screened for our Public Donation OptionSM, you cannot become eligible at a later date.

What is the time commitment for participation in the program?
Your cord blood unit must be banked privately with FamilyCord for at least ten years before opting to list the cord blood on a public donation registry.

If my unit is selected to be used in a transplant through a public donation registry, will I be reimbursed?
While there appears to be legal provisions for recovery of direct costs, these cannot be guaranteed. It is our intention to recover these costs to the extent that is legally permitted and refund them to you upon request.

What are the additional fees to participate in the Public Donation OptionSM?
To cover additional testing and screening requirements, there is a fee of $250 to participate in the Public Donation Option program.

For what reasons might I not qualify for participation in the Public Donation OptionSM?
For a complete list of eligibility guidelines for public donation click here.

What happens if my cord blood doesn't qualify for public donation? Will I get my money back?
The extra fees are to cover our direct costs with additional testing required. We will make every effort to determine your eligibility prior to performing the additional tests. However, we cannot guarantee that any cord blood unit will qualify prior to completion of testing and evaluation of all aspects of donor eligibility. If the extra tests are not performed, the additional fees will not be charged.

What tests will be run on my cord blood stem cells to determine eligibility for public donation?
The additional tests are HLA tissue typing and hemoglobin fractionation that are run on your cord blood stem cells.

After 10 years of private cord blood banking, what happens next?
After the minimum 10-year period of exclusive family banking, you may contact FamilyCord to request listing your cord blood unit in a public donation registry. If you choose to list your unit, FamilyCord will contact you again for final consent when there is a transplant request. While listed on the registry, the cord blood unit is still yours, and you will continue to be responsible for paying the storage fees until the cord blood unit is actually released for transplantation.

Can I transfer my sample to the public donation registry before 10 years of private banking?
No. FamilyCord is a private cord blood bank. This program is intended for families that wish to bank their baby's cord blood privately with the option of donation only if they decide not to continue storage for exclusive family use. To be eligible to list your cord blood unit on a public donation registry through our Public Donation OptionSM, the cord blood must have been banked privately with FamilyCord for a minimum of 10 years.

Are there any other private cord blood banks that offer a public donation option?
No. FamilyCord is the first and only private umbilical cord blood banking company to offer its clients the option to list their cord blood on a public donation registry after 10 years of storage for exclusive family use only.

Must I enroll for the 10 year storage plan if I am participating in the Public Donation OptionSM?
No. A client of FamilyCord does not have to enroll for a ten-year storage plan to participate in the Public Donation OptionSM. You have the option to enroll for whichever storage plan you wish as long as the cord blood is stored for 10 years before donation.