Public banks keep stem cells for transplantation into histocompatible patients suffering from malignant diseases of the hematopoietic system. A portion of the child’s blood is used for analyzing the type of histocompatibility. Because, for obvious reasons, the histocompatibility type is strictly confidential personal data, cells are stored and sorted by type regardless the name of the donor.

In private storage banks stem cells are classified according to the identity of the donor because they are intended for use by the child himself and his family and this is a unique opportunity for him. Thus, it is readily available when needed.

WHY SOMEONE MIGHT PREFER THE PRIVATE AND NOT THE PUBLIC STORAGE?

With private storage ensure immediate access and availability of the sample.

Global private banks have collected till today 780,000 stem cell samples whereas the collections for public banking are only 150,000 samples.

Since the samples have "racial stamp" if a Greek patient is looking for a sample at the World Bank, he will be compatible only with samples from Greece with probability 6%, which makes the probability of finding a sample very difficult or even with waiting time up to 6 months.

Moreover the chances of compatibility are nearly 100% since the sample belongs to the same donor. It is characteristic that 50-60% of transplants do not succeed because of graft rejection. In addition, there is a reduced chance of rejection for the family members as the chances for compatibility are much greater.

This is very important as in some diseases, it is more efficient the autologous transplantation. Note that an allogeneic transplant carries some risk because of its unknown origin (hereditary diseases of the donor, etc.).

In the case of public storage, the donor has no access or some priority in his sample, although it has donated. As a result it’s common not to find easily a compatible sample and find it when it is already too late.

The final decision of each one of us is a personal choice.

Kurtzberg J et al 2009, Curr Opin Pediatr 21(1):22-29 Howard DH, at al 2008.
Med Decis Making, 28:243-253 Sergio Querol et al 2009. Haematologica, 94(4):536-541 w
ww.eae.gr/new/LASCM2.pdf Gregory Katz-Benichou 2007,
Int J Healthcare Technology and Management. bioacademy1steditiongreek.pdf Ανακοίνωση 8th International Cord Blood Transplantation Symposium June 3-5, 2010, San Fransisco CA. Nivison-Smith et al 2007. Biol Blood Marrow Transplant, 13:905-912