When it comes to matching as a donor, a patient’s ethnic background is important in predicting the likelihood of finding a match. This is because genetic markers used in matching are inherited. This means that a person’s best chance of finding a donor may be with someone of the same ethnic background. It is already very hard for patients to find a matching stem cell donor, and for a patient of color, it is even more difficult due to the lack of diversity in the global donor pool.
As it currently stands, ethnic minorities are sadly underrepresented in the national stem cell donor pool. These groups across the board face challenges in finding their lifesaving matches, so registering more individuals from all ethnic backgrounds is a high priority!
Probability of Finding a Match Based on Ethnicity:
