WHEREAS, according to the United States Department of Health and Human Services, blood from the umbilical cord and placenta is unique because it contains a relatively large number of blood-forming cells; and

WHEREAS, these cells may be potentially life-saving for someone who has a disease such as leukemia, or lymphoma, or certain inherited metabolic or immune system disorders; and

WHEREAS, the National Marrow Donor Program reports that every year, thousands of people of all ages are diagnosed with leukemia and other life-threatening diseases, and many of them will die unless they get a bone marrow or umbilical cord blood transplant from a matching donor; and

WHEREAS, many expectant parents are unfamiliar with the options available to them when it comes to their infant's umbilical cord blood, and as a result, an umbilical cord may be discarded after a baby is born unless the baby's parents are informed about umbilical cord blood banking and donation options; and

WHEREAS, the Institute of Medicine recommends that women be provided with a balanced perspective and clear information to participate, actively and knowledgably, in the choice of whether or how to donate umbilical cord blood; and

WHEREAS, a greater number of Hawaii residents need, among other things, basic information regarding umbilical cord blood and its benefits, the need for umbilical cord blood donors, and the options and costs for ownership and future use of donated umbilical cord blood; now, therefore,

BE IT RESOLVED by the House of Representatives of the Twenty-eighth Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2015, that the Department of Health is requested to establish an umbilical cord blood awareness campaign that offers standardized, objective information to expectant parents, including but not limited to, the following:

(1) What umbilical cord blood is;

(2) The value of umbilical cord blood stem cells, including who can benefit from stem cells in umbilical cord blood and medical treatments that use umbilical cord blood;

(3) How umbilical cord blood is collected;

(4) The choices and options for preserving umbilical cord blood stem cells, including:

(A) Donating umbilical cord blood to a public umbilical cord blood bank;

(B) Storing umbilical cord blood in a private or family blood bank;

(D) Donating umbilical cord blood for research;

(5) The differences between public umbilical cord blood banking and private or family umbilical cord blood banking;

(6) Current and future uses of umbilical cord blood; and

(7) Resources that provide information about umbilical cord blood banking; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Department of Health shall submit a report of the actions taken to establish an umbilical cord blood awareness campaign, including findings and recommendations and any proposed legislation, to the Legislature no later than twenty days before the convening of the Regular Session of 2016; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that certified copies of this Resolution be transmitted to the Director of Health.

	OFFERED BY:	_____________________________

Report Title:

Umbilical Cord Blood Awareness Campaign; Department of Health

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES	H.R. NO.	116
TWENTY-EIGHTH LEGISLATURE, 2015
STATE OF HAWAII