Italian Bone Marrow Donor Registry (IBMDR)

The IBMDR was set up in 1989 by E.O. Ospedali Galliera in Genoa when Italy began its national bone marrow donation programme. It was recognised as Italy's national registry by Law no. 52 of 6 March 2001 and, by a State-Regions agreement of 5 October 2006, as the single access point for searches for unrelated haematopoietic stem cells for transplant. Its stated aim is to find, for patients waiting for an allogeneic transplant who have no suitable family donor, an unrelated volunteer adult donor or a donated cord blood unit compatible enough for transplant; it states that 70 per cent of patients who need such a transplant have no compatible family donor. It is in contact with all 139 donor registries worldwide, coordinates selection, donation and collection wherever the donor is, and certifies and pays the costs of searches. It is accredited by WMDA.