Millions of women are now eligible to donate stem cells on 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 heritage aged 17 to 40 could join the NHS stem cell donor register. Now, all white women aged 17 to 40 are able to sign up.
About 400,000 people are registered but the average age is increasing every year and potential donors must leave the list when they reach 61. 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 leukaemia. For many patients they are the only chance of a cure.
NHSBT officials said adding 30,000 new UK donors a year would help them find matches for the growing number of transplants taking place and reduce the reliance on expensive stem cell imports. Importing stem cells from abroad can cost the NHS as much as double what it would collecting them from UK donors.
New evidence shows that age rather than sex is a more significant factor in the health and efficacy of stem cells. Younger donors provide better transplant outcomes.
About 72% of cells used come from people under 40 because they have a better chance of success. But of the 400,000 donors registered, only 35% are now under 40.
Guy Parkes, the head of stem cell donation and transplantation at NHSBT, said: “There is always a need for more stem cell donors and so we’re thrilled to now be able to welcome all women aged 17 to 40 to the NHS stem cell donor registry, too. Growing research has shown that donor age is an important factor when it comes to transplants, so we’re urging everybody under 40, male or female, to think about signing up.”
One woman who joined the register aged 18 after a friend died of leukaemia welcomed the changes allowing millions more women to donate. Sarah Caddick, 33, a finance administrator from Dudley, said she was “ecstatic” when she got the call in March this year, 14 years after she had registered (under different eligibility rules), to donate her stem cells.
“I lost a friend to leukaemia when I was young and have always wanted to give something back,” she said. “Like most donors, I donated via my blood stream – it was really similar to giving blood and was so simple. Having donated myself and experienced how easy it is to potentially save a life, I urge everybody to sign up if they’re eligible – you may be the one and only chance a person has.”
