Join the Marrow Donor Program
Donor Eligibility Requirements
In order to join the NMDP you must answer questions about your medical history. These questions help us determine your eligibility for the donor program. They are designed to protect you, the potential donor, and the patients you may match.
Some diseases and illnesses can be transmitted through marrow or PBSC donation, and could be fatal to the patient. In addition, some medical conditions can make donation unsafe for the donor.
If you are identified as a match for a patient, you will complete a detailed health questionnaire and physical examination to ensure the safety of both you and the patient.
Learn more about donating for a family member
You will first be asked your height and weight.
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Are you between the ages of 18 and 60?
Eighteen is the age of legal consent. You are eligible to donate until your 61st birthday. The upper age limit was established to reduce the risk of donor complications. Please see our Frequently Asked Questions page for more information about our age guidelines.
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Are you in good general health?
This question allows you to make an overall summary of your general health. Certain diseases can be transmitted from donors to transplant recipients. If you state that you are not in good health, we will evaluate the reason(s) to determine whether you can join the registry.
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Are you at risk for HIV (the AIDS virus) or hepatitis?
If you are at risk for HIV (the AIDS virus) or hepatitis, you cannot be a donor. NMDP guidelines on HIV and hepatitis are based on the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) requirements for blood donors.
Please review our additional eligibility requirements for at risk behaviors
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Have you ever been refused as a blood donor or had problems donating blood?
This question is asked to determine if you were refused due to the potential for disease transmission. If the reason you were unable to donate blood was low blood count, low weight, low iron or low blood pressure, you may still be able to join the NMDP.
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Have you ever had a serious illness such as cancer, diabetes, heart or lung disease (including heart surgery and/or stroke), convulsions, chest pain, asthma or shortness of breath?
Please see our additional eligibility requirements for information on these conditions -
Have you ever had neck, back, hip or spine problems? If so, does your condition currently require treatment?
If you have had problems with your neck, you may be at increased risk of injury during surgery and may not be eligible to donate. Marrow donation can aggravate existing back and/or hip problems. If you have a history of any of the above problems that has been resolved and you are not under treatment, you may still be eligible to donate.
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Have you ever had hepatitis, yellow jaundice, liver disease or a positive blood test for hepatitis?
You are ineligible if you have active Hepatitis A, B or C or if you have a history of hepatitis but are not sure of the type. If you have a history of positive screening tests, please contact us to evaluate your eligibility.
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Have you ever tested positive for HIV antibodies (the AIDS virus)?
You are not eligible to be a donor if you are HIV positive because HIV can be transmitted from a donor to the transplant recipient.
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Have you ever been treated for abnormal bleeding?
If you have a clinically significant bleeding disorder or history of bleeding after surgery or dental procedures, you are not eligible to donate. A clinically significant bleeding disorder is one that has required physician intervention in the past.
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During the past 12 months, have you received any blood transfusions or tattoos or ear, skin or body piercings?
If you answer yes, you are still eligible, but will be temporarily deferred from donating for 12 months from the date of your transfusion, tattoo or piercing.
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In the past month, have you taken any drugs prescribed by a physician?
Donor center staff must evaluate any prescription drug. Acceptable medications include: birth control pills, thyroid medication (not for cancer), antihistamines, antibiotics, prescription eye drops and topical medications. Anti-anxiety and anti-depression medications, such as diazepam and lithium, and hypertension medications are acceptable if there is no underlying cardiac disease and the condition is well controlled.
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Have you ever taken human growth hormone or etretinate (Tegison), a drug taken for the treatment of psoriasis?
Human growth hormone is given to treat growth hormone deficiency. If you have taken human growth hormone, you are not eligible to be a donor due to the possible retransmission of the Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease. If you have taken only recombinant DNA-derived growth hormone products (rhGH), you are still eligible. Studies show that etretinate, suspected of causing severe birth defects in infants of women who have taken it, may be detectable in blood for long periods of time after the drug has been discontinued. For this reason, you are not eligible if you have taken etretinate.
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Have you ever taken drugs by needle that were not prescribed by a physician?
The use of injectable drugs is an important consideration because of the high incidence of hepatitis among people who use injectable drugs and because needle-sharing drug users are at high risk for developing HIV infection.
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Have you ever had problems with general or regional anesthesia?
Common side effects of anesthesia are nausea, vomiting, headache, blurred vision, muscle pain, drowsiness and sore throat. It is safe to receive general or regional anesthesia if you have had these side effects. Any more severe side effects, such as numbness, tingling and muscle weakness could increase the risk of future complications. You may not be eligible to donate if you have had severe side effects from anesthesia.
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Have you ever been HLA tissue typed before? If so, when and where?
A volunteer only needs to be tissue typed once. If you can get a copy of your tissue typing, the expense of being retested can be saved. Most often, to get a copy of your tissue typing, you need to send a written request for release to the institution that performed the typing. Please contact us and we can help you get the necessary documentation to join the registry.
