Bomke bill promotes umbilical cord blood research

[March 03, 2007]  SPRINGFIELD -- State Sen. Larry Bomke, R-Springfield, wants the state of Illinois to explore the possibilities of banking stem cells gathered from umbilical cord blood, which has become an important tool in research and treatment of many life-threatening diseases.

"Umbilical cord blood is rich in stem cells which have already cured over 100 different diseases," Bomke says. "Research has thus far given us these results, and further research could possibly yield cures for many others."

Bomke's legislation, Senate Bill 1691, creates the Umbilical Cord Blood Bank Commission. The commission will establish a plan for the creation of an Illinois-based umbilical cord blood bank.

Duties of the commission include:

• Developing a plan for the establishment of the Illinois Umbilical Cord Blood Bank.

• Ensuring the privacy of people who donate umbilical cord blood and placental tissue.

• Examining making postnatal tissue and amniotic fluid available for scientific research and medical treatment.

• Investigating private storage of postnatal tissue and amniotic fluid for medical treatment.

• Participating in the National Cord Blood Program.

"Illinois should be at the forefront of cord blood banking because it is a proven cure for disease," said Bomke. "People need to know about banking, and women need to be able to easily donate cord blood if they choose to do so."

Bomke said he believes cord blood and adult stem cell research is a better use of state resources because it is already producing results, while the more controversial research using human embryos hasn't cured a single disease.

[Text copied from news release sent on behalf of Sen. Larry Bomke and received from Illinois Senate Republican staff]