There is an increase in awareness about the properties and applications of the umbilical cord blood (UCB) stem cells, both in India and worldwide. In the recent past, stem cell banking in India has gained immense importance. More than 50,000 cord blood stem cell transplants have been reported worldwide and 6, 00,000 UCB units have been preserved in more than 100 Cord Blood Banks
(http://www.bmdw.org/, http://www.nmdp.org/, http://www.esh.org/). Stem cell banks in India too are actively supporting stem UCB transplantations.
A survey conducted by the CIBTMR (Center for International Blood and Marrow Transplant Research, http://www.cibmtr.org) estimated that after 1998, 20% of stem cell transplants performed in young patients (>20 years old) were cord blood transplants and this marked the growth of stem cell in India. More than 2000 Cord blood Haematopoietic Stem Cell Transplants are performed annually, (http://www.who.int/). These worldwide reports have also given a boost to stem cell banking in India by confirming the superiority of umbilical cord blood (UCB) stem cells over bone marrow stem cells. These results prove that UCB transplants restore haematopoiesis and immune function of the human body. With deep research and concrete statistics, stem cell banking has received additional attention in India.
Details of some of the diseases that can be treated by stem cells are given below
To view full list of treatable diseases
