Americord Becomes Only Family Cord Blood Bank Headquartered in New York City to Hold State Cord Blood License

NEW YORK, Feb. 9, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Americord Registry, a pioneer in cord blood and placenta stem cell preservation, is proud to announce that it has obtained a provisional human tissue cord blood banking license from the New York State Department of Health, becoming the first private umbilical cord blood bank headquartered in New York City with the authority to collect umbilical cord blood in the state of New York.

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"The New York State licensing requirements are very rigorous and the license is one of the most difficult accreditations to earn. Only the highest quality cord blood banks, such as The New York Blood Center, which operates the oldest and largest public cord blood bank, are able to meet these very strict requirements," said Martin Smithmyer, President and CEO of Americord.

Most states only require that cord blood banking organizations register their in-state laboratories. New York, on the other hand, licenses the organizations themselves, and requires them to follow meticulous protocols before their labs can collect cord blood. With this license, Americord is currently is able to accept cord blood from nearly all 50 states, as well as many international locations.

For more information about Americord Registry, or to speak with Mr. Smithmyer, please contact Dana Taormina at 973-732-3521 or [email protected].

About Americord Registry

Americord Registry is a pioneer in cord blood and placenta stem cell preservation. Americord collects, processes, and stores newborn stem cells from umbilical cord blood for future medical or therapeutic use, including the treatment of more than 75 blood diseases such as sickle cell anemia and leukemia.

Founded in 2008, Americord is registered with the Food and Drug Administration and is licensed in New York and New Jersey. The company's laboratory is accredited by the AABB, and complies with federal CLIA laboratory standards. Americord is based in New York. To learn more, visit www.americordregistry.com

SOURCE Americord Registry