Online Medical Retailer Impresses

AllegroMedical.com has been a leading online retailer of medical equipment products for over a decade. Their innovative approach to online sales and impressive product selection have positioned the site for continued success.

Allegro offers all of the home nutritional and medical products you'd expect and has supplemented that selection with other life-enhancing products you might not usually associate with a company in its niche. For instance, Allegro carries outdoor gear and equipment. They all deal in high-quality fitness products.

With over fifty thousand available products, Allegro has been forced to organize itself in order to allow consumers to find what they need. They've managed to do that through categorizing supplies and by offering a unique "shop by condition" arrangement that allows people to find exactly what they need in record time.

It's no wonder Allegro has served over one million customers and continues to grow. They're doing online retail the right way.

Malaysian Officials Wary of Stem Cell Claims

Malaysia's Health Minister recently warned citizens to be suspicious of claims made regarding the use of stem cells in the treatment of various diseases. Apparently, at least a handful of Malaysian doctors have been making claims regarding stem cell-based treatments that lack sufficient scientific evidence to support them.

"The Star", a Malaysian newspaper, also reports that the government there is less than happy with claims made by cord blood banking facilities. Malaysian officials seem less than optimistic about private cord blood banking and are, for all purposes, discouraging the practice.

"The Star" noted:

"Dr Chua said baseless claims by companies had attracted many new mothers who fork out money to keep their baby’s umbilical cord blood stem cells in special bank set up by private companies.

“What guarantee is there that the cord blood can be used five to 10 years down the road?

“Mothers or families who keep the stem cell cord blood have high hopes that it would be their medical insurance should they need it one day although medical data does not support its role in this matter,” he added."

You can read more about Malaysia and cord blood banking here.

Thai Authorities Warn of Overzealous Cord Blood Firms

The controversy surrounding private cord blood banking is not limited to the U.S. alone. Recently, officials in Thailand issued a statement expressing concern over the marketing tactics used by umbilical cord banks there.

The argument in Thailand echoes the U.S. dispute. Advocates of banking are met with opponents who claim that risk analysis does not support the onerous expenses associated with individualized banking solutions.

As an article in Thailand's "The Nation" reported:
"The Public Health Ministry has warned families who want to preserve blood stem cells from the umbilical cord of their newborn babies for transplants in case of future illness to think twice before paying vast amounts of money to private stem-cell banks.

Dr Wisit Tangnaphaporn, deputy director-general of the Department of Health Service Support, said he wanted families to weigh the expense they have to shoulder for the stem-cell storage service against the chances that their child could be saved from future diseases by using these cells."

Obviously, cord blood banking on an individual level is a hot-button issue all over the world. You can read the article about Thailand's situation here.

Chinese Doctors Want Cord Blood Rules

A report at China.org indicates that Chinese physicians are calling for the development of rules to govern the storage and donation of umbilical cord blood. Apparently, only 2% of Chinese new births resulted in donated cord blood and doctors would like to see those figures increase.

The article emphasizes the therapeutic value of umbilical cord blood for patients suffering from Leukemia. Over 40,000 Chinese are diagnosed with Leukemia annually and the medical establishment there relishes the opportunity to provide improved treatment with cord blood.

Excerpt:

"Currently, hospitals don't ask new mothers whether they want to keep, donate or throw away the umbilical cord blood, officials told a science forum on cord blood technology in Shanghai yesterday.

"Twenty-nine states in the United States are making or have made rules on the issue. For instance, doctors in Arizona must ask parents' plans for umbilical cord blood starting this year," said Zheng Bin, an official from Shanghai Cord Blood Bank. "It is a very meaningful method to promote the awareness of cord blood use."

The full article is available here.

Information for Wise Buying Decisions

The Internet has made it incredibly easy to purchase the products you may need. It's also made it possible for any user to consider and choose from a massive assortment of products within any niche. Not so long ago, you may have been limited in selection to the products carried in your local stores. Today, as the saying goes, the whole world is at your fingertips.

That's an amazing change, but it has brought a new challenge to us. How do we choose from multiple options? With so many choices available, it can be very difficult to make a wise buying decision.

That's the problem TrustSource.org is trying to alleviate. The site provides side-by-side comparisons of multiple products in a variety of areas.

Let's say, for instance, that you're experiencing hot flashes due to menopause. TrustSource lists a variety of available products and remedies for you and compares them all.

Considering a purchase of a cellulite cream? TrustSource has a complete rundown of available products and provides critical information to help guide your decision making process. Wondering if provillus is the right hair loss treatment for you? The information at this helpful site may give you the answer you need.

TrustSource ranks individual products within groups and provides access to actual user reviews. I know there are multiple options out there for almost every product type and that the process of making a decision can be overwhelming at times. TrustSource, however, makes it easier by collecting and displaying helpful data in an intuitive and organized fashion.

(This is a sponsored review)

Cord Blood Battling Leukemia

Those who receive cord blood as a leukemia treatment appear to experience better results than those who receive more traditional bone marrow transplants.

Dr. John E. Wagner of the University of Minnesota believes that the recently observed results catapult umbilical cord blood to "first line treatment" status according to a report in The Ledger of Florida.

The article also states:

"Indeed, five-year survival was identical for recipients of perfectly matched bone marrow and cord blood with two mismatches, Wagner says. That matching flexibility could expand the field considerably, because right now bone marrow matches cannot be found for half of all leukemia patients who need transplants, he says. "With cord blood you can find a match for most patients, where with marrow you cannot," Wagner says. "The take-home message is that when cord blood is so promising, it should have an impact on public policy."

The Ledger piece notes that a national cord blood bank may be on the horizon due to positive findings like these and concludes with expert opinion that against private blood banking.

The full article appears here.

Umbilical Cord Blood Banking Critic

I think most of the entries at this blog are, at least on some level, in favor of cord blood storage. I say "storage" because not all observations support the notion of private cord blood banking and many advocate donation while stopping short of individual banking.

However, the "bank it" posts probably outnumber the "don't bank it posts" simply because more news and material is released carrying that slant.

In the interest of keeping the scales balanced, here's an observation from an apparent medical professional (tough to discern exact qualifications) who opposes the private cord blood banking model. The remarks were found at the Perinatal Nursing Discussion listserve hosted by the University of Buffalo.

They outline one individual's opposition to the for-profit banking model and cover various issues of collection and facility policy.

"First, I have to say I am against cord blood banking, the kid needs thatblood not some money making blood banker. The AAP is (if memory serves)against paying for blood banking for personal use. That being said, I knowthat umbilical cord blood is one of the few sources of stem cells that are actually useful for treating disease. When I am in my own practice I plan to counsel against cord blood banking..."

Overview of Umbilical Cord Blood and Banking

Every once in awhile, I like to point your attention to online resources that cover the very basics of cord blood and umbilical cord blood banking. For those addressing the issue on a personal level for the first time, these basic overviews can be very helpful.

"Shallow Thoughts to Profound Insight" offers a nice encapsulation of umbilical cord blood. It discusses what it is, why it may be important and provides some general information about cord blood banking.

Excerpt:

"Now comes the most important question - Should you bank your baby's cord blood? I am not a medical professional, so what I am expressing are only my thoughts on this. I think you should, if you and your immediate family members have a genetic predisposition to any of the treatable diseases mentioned above. If thallasemia runs in your family it would be worthwhile to store the cord blood."

If you're looking for some basic information on this fascinating topic, you may want to include this stop on your journey.

Gold and Silver Investment Note

Although you might be tempted to throw all of your investment dollars into the burgeoning field of umbilical cord blood banking and storage, smart investors realize the need for quality diversification. Many experts argue that appropriately diversified portfolios should include holdings in gold and silver.

Precious metals have been a safe bet for centuries. They have proven their ability to retain value while other sources of wealth have withered. The gold bullion prized by the ancients remains coveted today. Gold and silver investment can also be a hedge against overall political and economic uncertainty.

Those with an interest in the gold and silver markets may want to investigate the Monex Deposit Company (MDC). MDC has a long record of proven service and performance and is uniquely situated to assist investors with the acquisition, safe storage and accumulation of precious metal investments.

Gold and silver may be the missing component necessary to improve your investment portfolio. They are certainly worthy of serious consideration for all investors.

South Texas Operation Appoints New Associate Director

Rachael-Louise Beddard is the new associate medical director for the South Texas Blood & Tissue Center. Beddard was the part-time medical director for the operation's cord blood banking unit before accepting the position, according to a recent press release.

According to the release, Beddard will "assist in establishing medical policies related to the selection and care of blood donors, collection, processing and storage of cord blood."

The Texas Blood & Tissue Center is a regional facility serving a substantial number of Texas hospitals and clinics. For more on Beddard's move and the Center, the full release can be found here.

Catholics Backing Umbilical Cord Blood Banking

The Little Rock Diocese is excited about umbilical cord blood banking. Not only do members of the Roman Catholic hierarchy there express hope for the medical results obtainable via umbilical cord blood.

Here's an excerpt from a recent article on the topic:

"Linane said the initiative is supported by the Diocese of Little Rock as well because it promotes using nonembryonic stem cells for medical cures. The Catholic Church opposes embryonic stem-cell research because living human embryos are destroyed in the process of extracting the stem cells.

The extraction of stem cells from umbilical-cord blood "is not morally or ethically controversial," Fox said. "This is the child's first gift to the rest of the world."

The religious debate over fetal stem cell research may be the umbilical cord blood banking industry's best friend. The article quoted above can be found here.

Iceland: It's not just a matter of Bjork!

If the only thing you know about Iceland is its ability to churn out enigmatic pop starlets with large underground followings, it's time to rethink your perspective. There's more to Iceland than Bjork!

Glaciers. Geysers. Volcanoes. Waterfalls. Whales. You can find them all in Iceland. If you're like me, the idea of vacationing in Iceland might seem a bit strange at first. When you do a little research, though, you find that the place doesn't always live up to its chilly name and there are many great things to do while visiting the island nation.

The geography is varied and magnificent and the summer months are surprisingly mild to boot.
So, there's a lot of cool things to see and do in Iceland. That's great, but there's still one issue to confront before you make your way to Reykjavik. Lodging. You're going to need to find the right Iceland Hotels to meet your needs. That's where a site like CheaperThanHotels.co.uk enters the picture. They can help you find the right Reykjavik hotels for you time in the capital, giving you the perfect staging area for your Icelandic adventures. The wrong hotel can ruin a trip, so it's incredibly important to make a wise decision.

Finding the right South Iceland Hotels to meet your needs can be a challenge, but not if you're armed with the right information. Get all of the info you need to make smart choices and to create an unforgettable Icelandic sojourn. Check them out!

Why Parents DON'T Bank Cord Blood

Parents.com has an interesting piece on the reasons why many parents opt NOT to bank their children's cord blood. It's nice to see real people who wrestle with cord blood banking questions in the real world offer their input and perspective on the process.

The rationales that led people not to bank cord blood are varied, but the most common explanation was the expense involved in the process. Others sited a statistically slight risk of needing the cord blood and at least one even mentioned possible security concerns.

Here are a few of the many reactions:
Reader Three: "I seriously considered and did quite a bit of research on banking, but when I asked my ob-gyn and she said it was a money-making scam unless we had a history of stem-cell disease in our immediate family, I decided against it. She was right on the money with all the other answers she gave us, so I believed her on this. In the end, do what you feel is best. A mom knows."

Reader Four: "I think it's a really good idea to bank the umbilical cord blood -- if you can afford it. It's just not a reasonable cost for the average person. The cost is astronomical! I just couldn't do it."

Reader Five: "It sounded like a great idea, but it was way too expensive for our meager budget to afford up front. Plus there are continued storing costs."

Reader Six: "No, I did not bank the cord blood. I donated it to the San Diego Blood Bank. They use it to help save lots of kids every year. Hopefully if any of my children ever need it, someone else's donation will save them."

Read 'em all here.

Growing new tissue with umbilical cord novel cells...

A press release issued by the people at ViaCell argues that researchers can grow bone and heart tissue using novel cells found in umbilical cord blood.

Obviously, readers should take the claim with a grain of salt. The statement is issued by ViaCell, who has a strong interest in increasing the use and popularity of cord blood banking and storage. However, the publicity material does site refereed medical research on the topic and stops short of making exaggerated claims regarding the technique's efficacy.

Excerpt:

For the first time, using novel cells found in human umbilical cord blood, researchers have shown the ability to grow bone, cartilage, hematopoietic (blood), neural, liver and heart tissue in in vivo studies. The article is entitled, "A new human somatic stem cell from placental cord blood with intrinsic pluripotent differentiation potential" and is available in the July 19, 2004 issue, vol.200, no. 2, of JEM. Dr. Peter Wernet, the President of NETCORD, commented, "To our knowledge, we are the first group to demonstrate that neonatal somatic stem cells can be robustly expanded in vitro under pharmaceutical conditions to very large

The full release is available here. numbers and can differentiate, in vivo, into a number of tissue types and take on the properties and specific functions of the cells in those tissues." This discovery was made by Dr. Wernet, Dr. G. Koegler and scientists at ViaCell.

Foxworthy and land for sale?

You probably know of Jeff Foxworthy from his stand-up comedy routines and his recent success as a popular game show host. If you watch cable television, you may have also seen his five-times-a-week program on "The Bucks of Tecomate". That program is a means by which the Tecomate company gets the word out about its wildlife management and consulting services. Foxworthy, who anchors the program, is also involved in the ownership of Tecomate.

Recently, Tecomate and LandsOfAmerica.com, a leading online rural real estate sales site, announced plans to work together. The proposal should create a stellar opportunity for someone looking for Land for sale to simultaneously learn more about a firm that boasts a tremendous track record in terms of creating wildlife havens.

Tecomate gets a great deal of attention, some of it do to the popular Foxworthy's involvement, and LandsOfAmerica is recognized as the leader in online rural land sales, boasting over 250 sites in its extensive network.

ViaCell Investment Perspective

ViaCell, fairly well-known in the umbilical cord blood field as a storage service, is posting better sales at ViaCord and there's every reason to believe that the cord blood storage industry is poised for a major boom. So, why do some analysts believe there's some cause for concern among ViaCell investors?

The answer is red ink and plenty of it. Operating and ret results are "mired" in red ink and at least one investor tipped off the Motley Fools about perceived management blunders.

Bad news, right? Well, not necessarily. The folks at Motley Fool eventually come down on the side of Via Cell. Here's an excerpt of their analysis:

Meanwhile, the firm has cut costs in an effort to accelerate its march to profitability. Losses for the quarter amounted to just $0.09 per share, half of last year's Q2 loss, and less than analysts predicted. Granted, most of the cost-cutting came in from a single one-time item: a "$2.2 million credit related to a reduction in contingent liabilities recorded with the acquisition of Kourion Therapeutics in 2003."

You can read the whole piece here.

Company Entering Cord Blood Storage Arena

DomaniCell, a company with a track record in the cell collection and storage business, has announced plans to enter the field of storing stem cells. Basically, it would appear as if DomaniCell is getting ready to offer banking services, based on a press release that states they are "expanding its service to the collection and storage of stem cells and immune system cells for adults who choose to proactively store their cells, while they are healthy and younger, for potential future use."

DomaniCell refers to stem cell storage (i.e. umbilical cord blood storage, perhaps?) as part of a "proactive wellness plan". Although people will have different opinions regarding personal blood banking and its value to most individuals, the DomaniCell announcement does demonstrate that there is potential growth in that marketplace.

Here's an excerpt from the company's statement, explaining the potential value of cell storage:

"When collected and stored from younger and healthier donors, stem cells and immune system cells are more effective than those collected later in life or from a donor suffering from an illness or genetic disorder. Additionally, autologous (self) stem cell and immune system cell replacement has been demonstrated to be highly effective in restoring normal function after exposure to toxins, including radiation."

The full release is available here.