A Bill to Promote the donation of cord blood from women after giving birth; and for connected purposes
Blood taken from the umbilical cord of newborns is rich in stem cells and can be stored in blood banks for later use. It is used mainly as an alternative to bone marrow transplantation in blood disorders such as leukaemia and thalassaemia. Additional potential uses for cord blood stem cells are emerging and they may offer an alternative to stem cells sourced from human embryos.The Bill seeks to increase the supply of cord blood in the UK by:creating a duty on the Secretary of State to promote cord blood donation and issue guidance to medical practitioners establishing a system of target setting and annual reporting
House of Commons
30 October 2008
This Bill would place a duty on the government to promote cord blood donation after birth and to issue guidance to medical staff on how donations should be collected and handled. It also requires target-setting and annual reporting to help boost the UK’s supply of cord blood for treatments, including leukaemia and thalassaemia, with potential other uses in the future.
The Bill is currently at the 2nd reading in the House of Commons.
Generated 21 February 2026
No recorded votes for this bill yet.
