Published in the UK Public Service Review, Issue 17.

The European Commission has awarded a grant to support the development of a continuing multilingual, online, training programme for all those involved in the field of cord blood technology and transplantation.

The EUROCORD-ED Network aims to develop a focused, interdisciplinary curriculum on the scientific, technical, clinical, regulatory and ethical aspects of cord blood - easily accessible at a time, place and language (initially English, Spanish, French, Italian) convenient to the user. It will be a cost-effective tool to pool knowledge and share experience between the field's vocational actors.

When babies are born, the umbilical cord is generally discarded. This is because pregnant women and many of their doctors are unaware that science has demonstrated that cord blood cells have immense therapeutic value. Today, they save many lives. Cord blood is a safe, painless and ethical source of stem cells. More than 400,000 cord blood units for unrelated allogeneic use have been collected throughout the world in more than 107 cord blood banks and more than 20,000 patients have been treated by cord blood transplant for various haematological diseases.

The EUROCORD-ED project aims to inform and educate scientists and doctors as well as future parents, and to support health policy decision-makers. Recent progress has revealed umbilical cord blood as a unique source of stem cells for therapeutic use in many clinical settings of socio-economic importance.

Cord blood technology is evolving rapidly. This scientific innovation underscores the need for training and increased communication between those involved in the field: laboratory scientists, technicians, clinicians, transplant physicians, obstetricians, midwives and biotechnology companies involved in banking, research, clinical analysis of cord blood and ICT.

In addition, the area has quickly become highly regulated on a par with the pharmaceutical industry. Directive 2004/23/EC established stringent standards for the donation, procurement, testing, processing, preservation, storage and distribution of umbilical cord blood. Directive 2006/17/EC laid down additional technical requirements and Directive 2006/86/EC traceability requirements, notification of serious adverse reactions and events and certain technical requirements for the coding, processing, preservation, storage and distribution of umbilical cord blood. All establishments involved in cord blood processing now need to be licensed and people trained in the requirements of the Directives and Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP).

Training is important to ensure pan-European harmon-isation of knowledge and skills, and to guarantee the uniform implementation of quality control standards and EU directives. This project will build on previous European Commission grants related to training, mobility and quality control in the healthcare setting. It will also contribute to enhance the implementation of the EU Directives on Tissue and Cells.