P. Martin, N. Brown, Andrew Turner
2008.6.1NEW GENETICS AND SOCIETY
tlooto Summary
The way firms seek to commercialize cord blood as a new set of commodities; the expectations and moral economy that are being constructed around this technology; and how firms are acting as mediators of hope in what might be called a “promissory bioeconomy” are explored.
Abstract
The creation of commercial cord blood banks rests on the promise of stem cell based regenerative medicine and marks the capitalization of human tissues within a future-oriented “regime of hope”. This paper will present data from a survey of the international cord blood banking industry and will explore: (a) the way firms seek to commercialize cord blood as a new set of commodities; (b) the expectations and moral economy that are being constructed around this technology; and (c) how firms are acting as mediators of hope in what might be called a “promissory bioeconomy”.
Citation format
MARTIN, P.; BROWN, N.; TURNER, Andrew. Capitalizing hope: The commercial development of umbilical cord blood stem cell banking. NEW GENETICS AND SOCIETY, 2008, 27: 127–143.