As SCI readies for the public phase of the ICO it launched back in September, the company is looking forward to bringing its innovations and technology to life. One of the first products that will be released by SCI in the SCIApplication will be the ability for families to bank cord blood stem cells. Cord blood banking is growing in popularity; unfortunately, it remains elusive to many families who do not have access to stem cell banks or cord blood banks in their area. This is just one of the ways SCI is working to break down barriers and help connect people with the life-changing and potentially life-saving treatments, storage options, medical care, and more.

What Does Brokering Mean?

When a parent decides to collect and store cord blood stem cells from their infant, they need to identify an appropriate cord blood bank. With everything else new parents need to prepare for, this can be an overwhelming prospect and the lack of resources available to help parents achieve this goal may prevent them from engaging in the process altogether. SCI wants to make it seamless and easy for parents to store valuable stem cells from their children at the time of birth. As part of the first iteration of the SCIApplication, parents will have the ability to engage with and make arrangements with cord blood banking centres around the world. For the first time, regardless of where families are located, they’ll have instant and unobstructed access to this important service. Brokerage, then, is the service that SCI will actually provide. This means that SCI will act as a third-party liaison between parents who want to store their children’s cord blood stem cells and those stem cell banks that can help them achieve that.

How Will Cord Blood Banking Services Work in the SCIApplication?

When a user signs up for the SCIApplication, they will have access to the digital token (SCIA Token) that will allow them to engage with a number of services, including cord blood banking services. Using the SCIA Token, users will be able to arrange for and purchase such services directly through the app, connecting with cord blood banks all over the world. The use of blockchain technology provides security and validation for the user because of smart contracts that will be in place to provide confirmation of purchases and interactions. All a new parent needs to know, however, is that they no longer have to worry about how they’ll find valuable information, resources, storage, and advice about cord blood banking. It will all be right at their fingertips. SCI will send a kit to the expectant mother, who can then take the kit to the doctor delivering the baby. Once collected, SCI will arrange for the kit to be picked up and delivered to the stem cell bank of the mother’s choice. Using the SCIA Token, parents can pay for their stem cell storage. Should the need ever arise to use the collected stem cells, SCI will also arrange for the cells to be delivered to the stem cell specialist — all of this is done in the SCIApplication.

Who Owns the Cord Blood Stem Cells?

It’s important to note that while SCI does not actively store cord blood stem cells as of yet, future plans for franchised cord blood banks are planned for the company and will help to grow

a global network of resources and access to such services for families. At present, when a parent chooses to store cord blood stem cells, the parent is the rightful owner of the cells. When an appropriate stem cell bank is chosen, the parent acknowledges that they are responsible for the cells and they can access them at any time. When their child comes of age, however, the child gains the rights to the cells and may choose to continue to store their cells at their existing location or move them to another stem cell bank; say, for instance, if they have moved away from their current stem cell bank, or they wish to work with another bank. As a brokerage of stem cell banking services, SCI can help families and the grown children of those families manage the storage of their cells in a way that is right for them.

For more information about SCI and how they are working to provide access to stem cells around the world, visit www.scia.io