Bush Signs Legislation for Transplant Databank
President Bush signed legislation to establish a national databank of umbilical cord blood and bone marrow that would allow doctors to quickly find a match for patients who need a transplant.
The Senate passed the bill by voice vote on Friday. The House passed the bill in May by a vote of 431-1. The legislation will provide $79 million in federal funding to increase the number of cord blood units available for matches. The objective is 150,000 units, which would mean 90% of patients needing them would have a match.
The measure also reauthorizes the national bone marrow transplant system, combining it and the cord blood in the same database.
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