Matched unrelated transplants

The National Marrow Donor Program (NMDP) has a computerized registry of more than 900,000 volunteer bone marrow donors for patients in need of a transplant. The donors available through the NMDP offer an option for the 70% of patients who could benefit from a marrow transplant but who do not have a suitable related donor. The complex process of finding a compatible unrelated donor involves seven steps, and the median length of time to find a donor through the NMDP is approximately 6 months. Each month, approximately 50 marrow transplants are facilitated by the NMDP.