The National Marrow Donor Program® (NMDP) today applauded the introduction of the "Stem Cell Therapeutic and Research Reauthorization Act of 2010." Sens. Orrin Hatch (R-UT), Christopher Dodd (D-CT), Richard Burr (R-NC), Jack Reed (D-RI), John Ensign (R-NV), and Al Franken (D-MN) introduced the act in the U.S. Senate as S. 3751 on Thursday, Aug. 5. Last evening, Reps. C.W. Bill Young (R-FL) and Doris Matsui (D-CA) introduced the companion legislation, (H.R. 6081), in the House. This legislation seeks to reauthorize the C.W. Bill Young Cell Transplantation Program (National Program) and the National Cord Blood Inventory (NCBI). These programs must be reauthorized before the NCBI sunsets.
Last year 12,000 patients searched the national registry, publicly known as the Be The Match Registry®, for a marrow donor or umbilical cord blood unit. Congressional support of the National Program and the NCBI is critical to ensure all patients have access to transplant.
"I am pleased with the introduction of this legislation and continued bipartisan support," said Jeffrey W. Chell, M.D., chief executive officer of the NMDP. "The reauthorization will provide us with the opportunity to continue our efforts to increase the number of adult donors and umbilical cord blood units available through the National Program."