Spain debates regulation of private cord cell banks:
This article was originally published in Clinica
Executive Summary
The Spanish Senate is today debating a motion urging the government to ensure the tightest regulation of private umbilical cord cell banks, in line with the safety and other norms set out under EU legislation. The government is preparing to regulate the authorisation and operational standards of such centres and the trade in placental and cord blood,through its transposition of the EU tissue and cells directive (2004/23/CE). This will, in turn, update Spanish legislation dating back to 1996. Last week, health minister Elena Salgado divulged an outline of the draft. The initiative of the opposition socialist party (PSOE) also seeks to formalise the "altruistic donation" of such tissues, by ensuring that public cell banks are used as the "preferred option".