bmtbasics.org - Equity Issues

Equity Issues

Who can get a BMT when needed is a health equity issue. Access to transplant is determined both by availability of a donor and availability of financial resources to pay for the BMT. We present here an overview of issues in the field, including race/ethnicity data on the current composition of the unrelated donor pool and of unrelated BMT recipients of all ages. This is vital information for individual patient families and policy makers alike. MAVIN believes that an evidence-based approach is the key to working to end the present inequities that cost too many lives.

Leveling the Playing Field ( 4 items ) When MAVIN began its BMT work in 2001, we learned that the odds for mixed heritage patients--along with all those whose genetic backgrounds are not well represented in existing donor registries--to be able to find an unrelated donor are quite slim. This disparity reflects broader and persistent healthcare disparities that in turn impact health inequalities among population groups in our country. We have learned that it is indeed possible to recruit diverse donors, and that much more remains to be done. As the US population continues to diversify, especially in younger generations, it is critical that we be involved in efforts to expand opportunities for diversifying the blood and marrow donor pools (including cord blood) and in expanding access to life-saving transplants for all who need them.

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