The National Marrow Donor Program will honor U.S. Rep. Chris Smith, R-4th District, in November
for two stem cell laws that he authored.
Smith authored the Stem Cell Therapeutic and Research Act of 2005,Public Law 109-129, and the
Stem Cell Therapeutic and Research Act of 2015,Public Law 114-104.
Smith's two laws created the first National Cord Blood Stem Cell Inventory; reauthorized and
expanded the National Bone Marrow Registry; connected cord blood banks around the country into
one search system for matching donors; directed federal agencies to study adult stem cells and
birthing tissues to develop new therapies for patients; significantly increased the inventory of usable
umbilical cord blood units available for stem cell transplantation; and authorized $530 million for
umbilical cord blood and bone marrow stem cell research and treatment over ten years.
"I am grateful to receive this awarda "the Lives Awarda "from a group that has done unparalleled
work in facilitating more than 80,000 transplants to date in its administration of the C.W. Bill Young
Cell Transplantation Program," Smith said in a statement. "Since my bill first authorized this
program, so much progress has been made in increasing patient access to crucial therapies."
According to the NMDP, there are currently more than 19 million volunteers and more than 249,000
cord blood units on the registry, including 109,000 units collected through the NCBI.
In New Jersey, Smith said that there are nearly 200,000 volunteer potential donors on the registry.
Both umbilical cord blood and bone marrow stem cells are today used for medical treatments for
more than 70 diseases and conditions such as leukemia and sickle cell disease.
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This article was originally posted on Oct. 31, 2018 and can be found at:
http://www.njbiz.com/article/20181031/NJBIZ01/181039962/smith-recognized-for-stem-cell-legislation
