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by londons_explore 1584 days ago
If few other people save it, then nobody will develop treatments using it, since a treatment is only developed if it makes financial sense, and if <1% of potential patients for a treatment have cord blood banked, then a treatment that requires their personal cord blood will never be developed.
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There are many companies doing this now and many (affluent) parents are saving it. I think your analysis misses the mark, even if there's a niche market, if it's comprised of people willing to spend lots of money, it can make sense as a business.
There are state led efforts to bank cord blood as well b/c of it's usefulness in some medical treatments and research.

https://sd25.senate.ca.gov/news/2017-06-26/california-umbili...

Unfortunately, public donations are only an option in some locations.

https://health.ucdavis.edu/cord-blood/locations