Millions of women are now eligible to donate stem cells to the NHS for the first time, amid rising demand for life-saving transplants and a drive to reduce reliance on expensive imports.
Previously, only men aged 17 to 40 or women of Asian, black or mixed descent aged 17 to 40 could join the group. NHS Stem Cell Donor Register. Now all white women between the ages of 17 and 40 can sign up.
About 400,000 people are registered, but the average age is rising every year and potential donors must leave the list when they are 61 years old. NHS Blood and Transplant (NHSBT) said it needed 30,000 new people to sign up every year.
Stem cell transplants are used to treat a number of diseases, including some forms of leukemia. For many patients they are the only chance for recovery.
NHSBT officials said adding 30,000 new British donors a year would help them find matches for the growing number of transplants taking place and reduce reliance on expensive stem cell imports. Importing stem cells from abroad could cost the NHS as much as double what it would cost to collect them from British donors.
New evidence shows that age, not gender, is a more important factor in the health and effectiveness of stem cells. Younger donors provide better transplant results.
About 72% of the cells used come from people under the age of 40, because they have a greater chance of success. But of the 400,000 registered donors, only 35% are now under the age of 40.
Guy Parkes, head of stem cell donation and transplantation at NHSBT, said: “There is always a need for more stem cell donors and that is why we are pleased to now be able to welcome all women aged 17 to 40 into the NHS stem cell donors. donor register too. More and more research shows that the age of the donor is an important factor when it comes to transplants. That is why we urge everyone under the age of 40, male or female, to think about signing up.”
A woman who joined the register at the age of 18 after a friend died of leukemia has welcomed the changes which will allow millions more women to donate. Sarah Caddick, 33, a financial administrator from Dudley, said she was “delighted” when she got the call to donate her stem cells in March this year, 14 years after registering (under different eligibility rules).
“I lost a friend to leukemia when I was young and I always wanted to give something back,” she says. “Like most donors, I donated through my bloodstream – it was really like giving blood and it was so simple. Because I have donated myself and experienced how easy it is to potentially save a life, I urge everyone to sign up if they are eligible – you may be the only chance anyone has.”