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ROBERT L. EHRLICH, JR., Governor Ch. 240
CHAPTER 240
(Senate Bill 197)
AN ACT concerning
Hospitals Department of Health and Mental Hygiene - Umbilical Cord Blood
- Blood Donation - Educational Materials
FOR the purpose of requiring each hospital to offer pregnant patients the option of
donating certain umbilical cord blood to a certain cord blood bank with a certain
exception; prohibiting the requirement for collection of cord blood by certain
hospitals and certain hospital employees directly affiliated with a bona fide
religious denomination with certain religious beliefs relating to the transfer of
human blood the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, in consultation
with certain entities, to develop educational materials concerning the donation
of umbilical cord blood: requiring certain obstetricians and hospitals to
distribute certain educational materials to certain patients; and generally
relating to the distribution of educational materials concerning the donation of
umbilical cord blood through hospitals.
BY repealing and reenacting, with amendments,
Article - Health - General
Section 19-308.7
Annotated Code of Maryland
(2005 Replacement Volume and 2005 Supplement)
SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF
MARYLAND, That the Laws of Maryland read as follows:
Article - Health - General
19-308.7.
(a) Unless it is medically inadvisable, each hospital shall tallow] OFFER a
pregnant patient [to arrange for the donation of] THE OPTION OF DONATING the
blood extracted from the umbilical cord of the patient's newborn child to a certified
public cord blood bank.
(b) A patient who agrees to donate cord blood to a public cord blood bank may
not be charged for the costs of collecting, storing, or transporting the cord blood.
(c) A hospital is not required to collect cord blood if in the professional
judgment of a licensed physician the collection of the cord blood would threaten the
health of the mother or newborn child.
(d) [A] ANY hospital or hospital employee, including a physician, nurse, or
other medical staff, THAT IS DIRECTLY AFFILIATED WITH A BONA FIDE RELIGIOUS
DENOMINATION THAT INCLUDES, AS AN INTEGRAL PART OF ITS BELIEFS AND
PRACTICES, THE TENET THAT BLOOD TRANSFER IS CONTRARY TO THE MORAL
PRINCIPLES THAT THE DENOMINATION CONSIDERS TO BE AN ESSENTIAL PART OF
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