Okla. Stat. tit. 63, § 63-2175

Donation to bank.

A. Contingent on the provision of appropriated funds designated

for the State Department of Health or the donation of private funds

to the State Department of Health for such purpose, on or before

January 1, 2009, the State Department of Health, in collaboration

with a private blood donor or private blood bank organization, shall

establish, operate and maintain a public umbilical cord blood bank

or cord blood collection operation for the purpose of collecting and

storing umbilical cord blood and placental tissue donated by

maternity patients at hospitals licensed in this state.

B. On or before January 1, 2009, the State Department of

Health, in collaboration with a private blood donor or private blood

bank organization shall establish a program to educate maternity

patients with respect to the subject of cord blood banking. The

program shall provide maternity patients with sufficient information

to make an informed decision on whether or not to participate in a

private or public umbilical cord blood banking program and shall

include, but not be limited to, explanations and information on:

1. The difference between public and private umbilical cord

blood banking;

2. The medical process involved in umbilical cord blood

banking;

3. The current and potential future medical uses of stored

umbilical cord blood;

4. The benefits and risks involved in banking umbilical cord

blood; and

5. The availability and cost of storing umbilical cord blood

and placental tissue in public and private umbilical cord blood

banks.

C. 1. Each physician licensed in this state and each hospital

licensed in this state shall inform each pregnant patient under the

care of the physician or hospital, not later than thirty (30) days

from the commencement of the patient’s third trimester of pregnancy,

of the opportunity to donate to the public umbilical cord blood

bank, established under subsection A of this section, blood and

tissue extracted from the umbilical cord and placenta, following

delivery of a newborn child, at no cost to the patient.

2. Nothing in this section shall be construed to:

a. obligate a hospital to collect umbilical cord blood or

placental tissue if, in the professional judgment of a

physician licensed in this state, the collection would

threaten the health of the mother or child,

b. prohibit a maternity patient from donating or storing

blood extracted from the umbilical cord or placenta of

the patient’s newborn child to a private umbilical

cord blood and placental tissue bank, or

Oklahoma Statutes - Title 63. Public Health and Safety Page 1348

c. impose a requirement upon attending medical personnel

who object to umbilical cord blood or placental tissue

donation as being in conflict with their religious

tenets and practice.