Abstract 17
Introduction
The National Health Service (NHS) Cord Bank was established in 1996 to build an inventory of altruistically donated cord blood units to provide equity of access to all patients eligible for a stem cell transplant. Fixed cord blood collection sites were selected in areas of high black and minority ethnic (BAME) populations, and a performance indicator was set to routinely bank 40%–50% of cord blood units from BAME donors.
Objectives
The primary aim of this study was to bank at least 40% of donations from BAME donors at each of the six collection sites. To analyze the total nucleated cell count (TNC) of banked BAME donations. The study also aimed to monitor the provision of cord blood transplants to BAME patients.
Methods
Data are input to National Health Service ‐ Blood and Transplant‐specific software from the point of collection through banking to transplantation to ensure a robust audit trail. This data was extracted using a database query and analyzed for both banked cord blood units and for cord units provided for transplant. Data relating to the self‐reported donor ethnicity and collection site were extracted and analyzed as a proportion of the whole bank, as a contribution of BAME donors from each collection site, and to ascertain the proportion of BAME donations with a high TNC.
Results
Banking of at least 40% BAME donations was routinely met. Representation from all groups listed on our donor screen was demonstrated in the collected and banked cord donations. Non‐BAME donations comprise the greater proportion of high TNC cord units. Provision of cord blood transplants to BAME patients comprises at least 50% of all transplants provided by the NHS cord blood bank.
Discussion
The initial strategy to select collection sites in areas of high BAME birth rates has been successful in building an inventory with a high proportion of BAME donations. The value of this has been borne out by the provision of cord transplants to more than 50% BAME patients. Further work to understand any link between the volume and TNC of collected cord blood with ethnicity and subsequently to improve the efficiency of collections from BAME donations is needed to improve the suitability for transplant of an HLA matched cord. Further work to establish the number of patients unable to find a suitably matched stem cell transplant with sufficient cell dose is being undertaken.