Blitz Bureau
LONDON: Millions of women are now eligible to donate stem cells to the National Health Service (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, according to The Guardian.
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. Importing stem cells from abroad can cost the NHS as much as double what it would collect from UK donors. 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.
