Many people wonder why there is an age limit on registration with Ezer Mizion’s Bone Marrow Registry. In addition to the more obvious reason of the younger potential donor remaining on the database for decades – a big plus considering the high cost of each genetic testing – there is another factor to be considered. The success rate using cells from a younger donor is significantly higher than when using cells from an older person.
The following statements are extracted from a report by CIBMTR (Center for International Blood & Marrow Transplant Research): Studies show that younger stem cell donors result in better patient survival rates. Overall survival decreases with increasing donor age, making age – after tissue type matching – the most important factor in choosing an unrelated stem cell donor.
Maintaining a young donor population is possible through continued, sustained membership growth through Ezer Mizion’s lifesaving partnership with the IDF, which draws in thousands of new, young registry members each year.
