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Codey Opens Two N.J. Umbilical Cord Blood Banks

Posted on: Thursday, 20 October 2005, 00:00 CDT

By Bob Groves, The Record, Hackensack, N.J.

Oct. 19--PARAMUS -- Promising a rich and "non-controversial" supply of stem cells, acting Governor Codey on Tuesday created the nation's first public umbilical cord and placental blood banks for research.

"Stem cells offer the opportunity to ease suffering, cure disease and save lives," Codey said at the Community Blood Services of Paramus. "We have a responsibility to pursue every single research opportunity."

"Now, it's time to save lives," Codey said as he signed an executive order creating cord blood pilot programs in Paramus and at the New Jersey Coriell Institute for Medical Research in Camden. Both centers have collected cord blood donations for several years.

Researchers and advocates applauded the initiative.

"Cord blood is a good source of stem cells for treatment of basically adult diseases, like cardiac disease and those of the bone and cartilage," said Biagio Saitta, a molecular biologist at the Coriell Institute. He directs relatively new research into how cord blood stem cells form muscle and cartilage fiber.

"Embryonic stem cells can form all types of cells," Saitta said. "But the problem with embryonic stem cells is they can form a primitive type of cancer, which does not occur in cord blood stem cells."

Increased availability of cord blood will attract top scientists to New Jersey, said Joseph J. Seneca, who prepared a study for Codey this month on the economic benefits of stem cell research to the state.

"I believe it's a step in the right direction to make New Jersey a locus and center for stem cell research," Seneca, a research associate at the Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy at Rutgers University, said Tuesday.

Seneca's study predicted that, over the next 20 years, the state's proposed stem cell initiative will reap nearly $72 million in tax and royalty revenues from intellectual property, create 20,000 jobs in the biotechnology industry, and save 75,000 lives and nearly $73 billion in health care cost and work time lost to illness.

Even critics of embryonic stem cell research are enthusiastic about work with cord blood.

Cord blood work is "very promising" and acceptable to Catholics, said Sister Jane Frances Brady, former president of St. Joseph's Regional Medical Center in Paterson. "Ethically, as far as people who think as I do, it's not a problem."

"Making use of cord blood that would just be pathological waste is very exciting," said Brady, who attended the event.

New Jersey Right to Life, which vehemently opposes embryonic stem cell research, is "very much in favor" of using cord blood, said Marie Tasy, executive director of the antiabortion group in Cranford.

""This type of non-embryonic stem cell research is where the cures are occurring; they are not occurring through embryonic stem cell research," Tasy said in a phone interview Tuesday.

"We are pleased the governor is finally recognizing that this is the type of research that should go forward, and we hope at the same time that he'll abandon his crusade to fund and promote embryonic stem cell research," she said.

Cord blood has an advantage that it can be used by patients not related to the donor, Tasy said. "It is a "very viable, ethical and practical alternative to embryonic stem cells -- which have a whole host of problems," she said.

Codey's action also directed the state Department of Health to remind hospitals and physicians to inform expectant mothers of the opportunity to donate umbilical and placental tissue for stem cell research.

"I believe what we are doing is groundbreaking and trailblazing with national and international implications," he said.

The cord blood programs are part of the state's proposed $380 million stem cell research initiative. It includes $150 million in unused bond capacity to build a stem cell institute, and depends on the Legislature approving a $230 million bond referendum next year to fund research grants. New Jersey's initiative includes research with adult stem cells, and embryonic stem cells, which are opposed by some antiabortion and religious groups.

Though overshadowed financially by California's $3 billion stem cell program, New Jersey's effort will "help recruit the best scientists around the world for research and clinical trials," Codey said.

Compared with embryonic stem cells, the use of adult stem cells from cord blood is "non-controversial," Codey said. "How can you argue against it?"

New Jersey also will fund work with embryonic stem cells, state Health Commissioner Fred Jacobs said.

U.S. Sen. Jon Corzine, the Democratic candidate for governor, said in a statement Tuesday that he "certainly supports the creation of a statewide storage bank for cord blood."

"We have a moral obligation to give our researchers the resources they need to pursue their life-enhancing and lifesaving mission, wherever it takes them," said Corzine, who favors all types of stem cell research, including embryonic.

Doug Forrester, the Republican gubernatorial candidate who supports adult stem cell research but opposes embryonic, condones the use of cord blood, said Sherry Sylvester, a spokeswoman.

"These new breakthroughs provide hope for so many people," Sylvester said.

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Copyright (c) 2005, The Record, Hackensack, N.J.

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Source: The Record - Hackensack, New Jersey

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