Donor safety and support

At NMDP^SM, we find cures for patients with blood cancers and disorders through cell therapy in a way that’s safe for both patients and donors. Donating blood stem cells is a medical procedure, and no procedure is risk-free. However, we maintain strict standards to ensure everyone’s safety.

How NMDP ensures a safe donation process

Health History Screening Questionnaire

Once a donor is matched with a patient, they’re asked to go through additional steps to ensure the donation process is safe for both them and the patient. One of those steps is responding to a health history screening questionnaire consisting of roughly 70 questions. A donor’s NMDP representative will walk through the questionnaire with them on a call.

Donor and Patient Safety Monitoring Committee

A Donor and Patient Safety Monitoring Committee, made up of doctors, medical staff, donors, patients and NMDP staff, evaluates patient transplant outcomes and the care of donors throughout the blood stem cell collection process. The goal of the committee is to make sure we use safe and effective processes and procedures.

Advocating for donors

The NMDP Donor Advocacy Program serves the needs and interests of blood stem cell donors. This group:

• Represents donor rights
• Offers education and assistance throughout the entire donation process
• Ensures donor satisfaction

Your donor center representative is your first point of contact for questions or issues. If you need further help, call the Donor Advocacy Program at 1 (800) 526-7809 x 8710 or email advocate@nmdp.org.

Maintaining donor and patient confidentiality

Maintaining your trust is essential to saving lives. That’s why your personal identifying information will not be shared with any companies or government agencies. We have rules in place to protect the rights and privacy of both donors and patients. Information about your genetic type and the stored sample from your cheek swab are identified by a code and stored separate from your personal identifying information.

Learn more about how we maintain donor and patient confidentiality or view our social media guidelines (Opens in a new tab).

We offer free counseling services based on donor needs. A licensed social worker can provide one-on-one counseling for a single session or multiple, if needed. These services can help you process your donation journey, regardless of whether you’re a potential match or have already donated.

Just because you’ve been asked to be a donor doesn’t mean that the rest of your life is placed on pause. Donation inevitably adds a degree of stress and anxiety that can be hard to balance with everything else. To help you during your experience—from getting the call that you’re a match through collection and post-donation—we offer a variety of mental health resources, including:

• A team of social workers, available for free consultations
• Opportunities for one-on-one conversations with your NMDP representative about your emotional well-being
• Donor Connect, a peer-to-peer support program where you can connect with a past donor and mentor who’s available to share their experience and provide support
• Our Donor Facebook Community, where you can ask questions and get support from others who have been in your shoes
• Written mental health materials in multiple languages

Ask your NMDP representative for additional information about any of these resources.