Sam, blood stem cell recipient, with his mom
How we help patients
As the world leader in blood stem cell transplants, we deliver quality service so patients cannot only survive but thrive.
Better access for better outcomes
The history of NMDP℠ is shaped by scientific breakthroughs and accomplishments, advancing our ambition to create a world where every patient can receive their life-saving cell therapy. We’ve been innovators from the outset through our research, our collaborations, our openness to new technology and our drive to give patients greater access to a cure.
Removing barriers to transplant
For many patients, a blood stem cell transplant may be their only hope for a cure. However, barriers to success exist: Patients can’t find a matching, available donor; transplants are unsuccessful; or post-transplant complications arise. NMDP research and endeavors like the Amy Strelzer Manasevit Research Program and CIBMTR® (Center for International Blood & Marrow Transplant Research® ), our research collaboration with the Medical College of Wisconsin, are focused on accelerating progress to make more transplants possible.
Building connections for a cure
When a patient needs a blood stem cell transplant, it takes coordination among centers and labs that can be spread around the country—and the world. From the moment doctors search our registry for a donor to the delivery of the life-saving cells to the patient, we’re carefully coordinating and facilitating every step with our global Network and partners.
Funding for patients and donors
When you or a loved one is sick with a life-threatening blood disease, knowing a treatment exists is comforting. But many families find that their insurance doesn’t cover all the costs associated with a transplant and report that finances are the number one barrier to going to transplant. These costs may include the search for a donor or cord blood unit, travel and lodging when the transplant center is far from home, prescription co-pays and more.
Generous contributions from our supporters, congressional funding and community fundraising help offset these costs and provide more patients the opportunity to get their potentially life-saving treatment. These funds also allow us to recruit members, especially those from ethnically diverse communities, to the NMDP Registry℠ to ensure all patients have a chance at finding their cure.
Patient support services
Through the NMDP Patient Support Center, patients, caregivers and families can access reliable, easy-to-understand information covering everything from diagnosis through recovery. We also offer confidential, one-on-one support from caring experts, groups and telephone workshops. All our programs and resources are free.
Connecting patients with life-saving blood stem cell donors
Finding matching, available blood stem cell donors for patients may be what we’re best known for. After all, since our founding in 1987, we’ve impacted more than 130,000 lives through cell therapy! After a transplant, donors and recipients may decide to meet—and those moments are everything. Catherine and Johnna were two young women with very different lives who were brought together through a twist of genetics. This is their story.
Offering new paths to a cure
We don’t leave any stone unturned. When there isn’t an established treatment plan for patients, we leverage our research expertise and world-class global network of medical specialists to work towards developing one through clinical trials. These trials help improve outcomes for patients—giving them hope that they can live longer, healthier lives.
Providing clinical education to health care professionals
We bring together experts in the field of cell therapy to deliver education on the latest advances in transplant and offer resources based on research and guidelines. Our resources help physicians decide if a transplant is the right option for patients, find the best donor source and plan post-transplant care. Our goal is to give health care providers the information they need to make decisions that lead to the best outcomes for their patients.
Accelerating access to new cell therapies
Donating cells to help a patient through transplant is life-changing. Donating them for the advancement of cell therapy and the development of novel cures can be world-changing—or at least change the world of medicine. That’s what we strive to do with NMDP BioTherapies℠ by finding donors whose cells could lead to next-generation therapies and help not just one but many patients.
Protecting patients’ access to care
Advocating for public policy at the federal and state levels is critical in ensuring patients can receive the care they need. Our Government Affairs and Public Policy team is committed to doing exactly that.