Portrayal of umbilical cord blood research in the North American popular press: promise or hype?

This study examined how umbilical cord blood (UCB) use was portrayed in the English language North American popular press. Directed content analysis was conducted on 400 articles from 2007 to 2017 containing 'cord blood,' published by the most read Canadian and American news sources.  A total of 86.3% of the articles detailed UCB treatments and therapies, the majority of which align with clinical evidence. Some articles portrayed speculative/experimental therapies as efficacious. Public and private banking initiatives received substantial attention, and were portrayed diversely. Promotional narrative messaging was evident around private banking. Findings demonstrate the need for continual monitoring of the media portrayals of UCB as stem cell and transplantation research develops and as clinics continue to operate.