Governor Perdue Creates Commission for Newborn Umbilical Cord Blood Research and Medical Treatment

Governor Perdue Creates Commission for Newborn Umbilical Cord Blood Research and Medical Treatment

Signs Order at Aflac Cancer Center and Blood Disorders Service of Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta

ATLANTA – Today Governor Sonny Perdue signed an Executive Order creating the Governor’s Commission for Newborn Umbilical Cord Blood Research and Medical Treatment. The commission will establish a network of postnatal tissue and fluid banks in partnership with universities, hospitals, nonprofit organizations and private firms in Georgia for the purpose of collecting and storing postnatal tissue and fluid.

“Collecting nonembryonic stem cells from umbilical cord blood is safe, painless and risk-free,” said Governor Sonny Perdue. “Cord blood treatments are an ethically responsible way to relieve suffering and save lives.”

The commission, which will be administratively attached to the Department of Human Resources, will be made up of 15 members, to be appointed by the Governor. The commission will encourage cord blood stem cell donation and promote awareness of options available to expectant mothers; create a network of cord blood banks to provide safe and secure storage of newborn stem cells; and ensure the availability of these cells for important research and life-saving medical procedures and research. Governor Perdue has directed the commission to report its findings to him by December 1, 2007.

Governor Perdue signed the Executive Order at the Outpatient Center of the Aflac Cancer Center and Blood Disorders Service of Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta at Scottish Rite.

Umbilical cord blood is one source of stem cells that physicians at the Aflac Cancer Center use to treat patients with cancer, sickle cell disease and other disorders. In 1998, doctors with Children’s and Emory University performed the first unrelated umbilical cord blood stem cell transplant on a child with sickle cell disease.

According to the Stem Cell Research Foundation, more than 100 million Americans and two billion other people worldwide suffer from diseases that may eventually be treated more effectively or even cured with stem cells. The umbilical cord, placenta and amniotic fluid are rich in stem cells which can be used for scientific research and medical treatment without destroying embryos.

Research using nonembryonic stem cells from postnatal tissue and fluid has already resulted in treatments for anemia, leukemia, lymphoma, lupus, multiple sclerosis, rheumatoid arthritis, sickle cell disease, spinal cord injury and Crohn’s disease. Therapies using nonembryonic stem cells from postnatal tissue and fluid are being studied for diseases as wide-ranging and diverse as corneal degeneration, heart disease, stroke, Parkinson’s disease and Alzheimer’s disease.

Governor Perdue’s Executive Order accomplishes many of the same objectives as SB596 sponsored by Senator David Shafer, which did not achieve final passage during the 2006 legislative session.

Text of the Executive Order is provided below.

WHEREAS: Over 100 million Americans and two billion other humans worldwide suffer from diseases that may eventually be treated more effectively or even cured with stem cells; and

WHEREAS: The umbilical cord, placenta, and amniotic fluid are rich in stem cells which may be used for scientific research and medical treatment without destroying embryos; and

WHEREAS: Stem cell research using stem cells from postnatal tissue and fluid has already resulted in treatments for anemia, leukemia, lymphoma, lupus, multiple sclerosis, rheumatoid arthritis, sickle cell disease, spinal cord injury, and Crohn's disease; and

WHEREAS: Stem cell therapies using stem cells from postnatal tissue and fluid are being studied for diseases as wide-ranging and diverse as corneal degeneration, heart disease, stroke, Parkinson’s disease, and Alzheimer's disease; and

WHEREAS: The donation, collection, and storage of stem cells collected from postnatal tissue and fluid should be encouraged so that such stem cells are available for both scientific research and medical treatment; and

WHEREAS: Ethical research in life science and regenerative medicine should be encouraged in this State.

NOW, THEREFORE, BY VIRTUE OF THE POWER VESTED IN ME AS GOVERNOR OF THE STATE OF GEORGIA, IT IS HEREBY

ORDERED: The Governor’s Commission for Newborn Umbilical Cord Blood Research and Medical Treatment, shall be created, for the purpose of establishing a network of postnatal tissue and fluid banks in partnership with one or more public or private colleges or universities, public or private hospitals, nonprofit organizations, or private firms in this state for the purpose of collecting and storing postnatal tissue and fluid.

IT IS FURTHER

The Commission which shall consist of 15 members appointed by the Governor. Members may include representatives of Georgia’s public or private colleges, universities, or medical schools, physicians licensed to practice medicine in this state, the state’s public or private hospitals, scientific researchers in umbilical cord stem cell research, medical ethicists with an accredited degree in medicine, medical ethics, or theology, and bio-science companies located in the state.

Members of the Commission shall serve without compensation, but shall be reimbursed for actual expenses by the state in accordance with the standard state travel regulations.

IT IS FURTHER

ORDERED: The Commission shall be attached to the Georgia Department of Human Resources for administrative and budgetary purposes and shall have the following duties and responsibilities:

1. To promote awareness and encourage donation of postnatal tissue and fluid to public or private umbilical cord blood banks.
2. To develop a program to educate pregnant patients with respect to the banking of postnatal tissue and fluid to include: a) an explanation of the difference between public and private banking programs; b) the medical process involved in the collection and storage of postnatal tissue and fluid; c) the current and potential future medical uses of stored postnatal tissue and fluid; d) the benefits and risks involved in the banking of postnatal tissue and fluid; and e) the availability and cost of storing postnatal tissue and fluid in public and private umbilical cord blood banks.
3. To develop a plan to ensure that any person giving birth to a child in Georgia may have the opportunity to contribute postnatal tissue and fluid to a public or private umbilical cord blood bank.
4. To develop a plan to ensure that postnatal tissue and fluid collected is available for scientific research and medical treatment and to ensure compliance with all relevant national practice and quality standards relating to such use.
5. To educate public and private hospitals and physicians about the National Cord Blood Program and registration of postnatal tissue and fluid collected with registries operating in connection with the program.
6. To explore funding possibilities for research and medical treatment from both public and private sources.
7. To report the Governor on or before December 1, 2007 concerning the activities of the commission with recommendations for any legislation necessary or desirable to fulfill the goals of this Executive Order.

This 14th day of April, 2006

(Signed by Governor Sonny Perdue)

GOVERNOR

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