ASBMT Endorses FACT/NetCord Accreditation
for National Cord Blood Inventory Program

HRSA held two conference call hearings in May on standards for and accreditation of cord blood banks under the National Cord Blood Inventory program that is scheduled to begin before year’s end.   ASBMT representatives testified and submitted written comments supporting the NetCord/FACT Standards and the designation of FACT/NetCord as the sole accrediting agency.

The criteria recommended by the ASBMT representatives were in 10 categories:

• Comprehensive standards
• International recognition
• Evidence-based science
• Cord blood bank compliance
• Qualified inspectors
• Consistency
• Outcomes evaluation
• Clinician confidence
• Professional education
• Unified implementation

“Undergirding all the criteria is our conviction that there should be a single set of standards and a single accrediting agency,” said ASBMT President Robert Negrin, MD, in written testimony.   “Multiple standards or multiple accrediting agencies are an invitation to inconsistency, confusion and increased administrative burden.   We believe that a straight line can be drawn between variable standards or accreditation and variable quality and predictability of cord blood units. 

“A physician preparing a patient for transplant has an enormous number of scientific, medical and patient care variables to consider.  The quality of the cord blood unit should not be one of those variables,” he said.

ASBMT offered unequivocal endorsement of FACT/NetCord to be the single recognized accrediting agency for the National Cord Blood Inventory.  “In our judgment, FACT/NetCord offers the significantly superior standards, inspection and accreditation program for assuring the safety and efficacy of units within the National Cord Blood Inventory,” Dr. Negrin said.