A parliamentary report has found that the UK's stem cell transplant system is potentially putting the lives of blood cancer patients at risk due to poor infrastructure and a lack of long-term planning. The report, by the all-party parliamentary group on ethnicity transplantation and transfusion, states that the system is 'no longer resilient, sustainable nor equitable' and fails to meet patients' needs.
Key Findings
Hematopoietic stem cell transplants, often called bone marrow transplants, involve transplanting stem cells from a healthy donor into a patient. This procedure can be life-saving for serious diseases such as blood cancer, blood disorders, and some autoimmune conditions. Approximately 4,000 stem cell transplants are performed annually in the UK.
The review revealed that in 2024-25, only 24% of stem cell transplants in the UK used a UK donor. The UK Stem Cell Strategic Forum expert group recommends that the UK should supply 45% of its own donors. Reliance on overseas donors is more costly and introduces supply chain risks.
Inequalities for Minority Ethnic Groups
People from minority-ethnic backgrounds face significant health inequalities. They have only a 37% chance of finding a well-matched donor, compared with 72% for white patients of northern European background. Bell Ribeiro-Addy, Labour MP and chair of the APPG, said: 'This report raises urgent questions about whether the UK's stem cell transplant system is truly fit for the future. Patients with blood cancer and other life-threatening conditions depend on a system that is resilient, properly coordinated and equitable – yet our findings show serious gaps in accountability, planning and fairness.'
Ribeiro-Addy added: 'The inequalities facing minority ethnic and mixed heritage patients are especially alarming. Too many patients are still unable to find a matching donor, and shockingly, we do not even have complete data on how many people are missing out on potentially life-saving transplants.'
Lack of Central Responsibility
Unlike blood and organ donations, no single organisation is responsible for stem cell donations, leading to slower and more scattered policy changes. The APPG has recommended that the government launch a review into the UK's stem cell system to address these issues.
Charity Responses
Caitlin Farrow, director of strategy and influencing at Anthony Nolan, said: 'This report speaks to the inequity in access to unrelated stem cell donors for people from a minority ethnic background, an issue we are also deeply committed to raising awareness of and working to address. We know that addressing inequity of access and outcomes for minority ethnic patients requires a combination of strategies. We are also therefore pleased to see the APPG's recognition of the importance of supporting the growth of registries in under-represented parts of the world.'
Orin Lewis, chair of the African Caribbean Leukaemia Trust, said: 'The findings of the APPG report confirm what ACLT and the communities we serve have experienced for many years: too many black, ethnic minority and mixed heritage blood cancer patients continue to face unacceptable inequalities in accessing potentially life-saving stem cell transplants.'
While progress has been made, campaigners say patients from minority backgrounds are still significantly less likely to find a suitably matched donor, with devastating consequences for individuals and families. The Department of Health and Social Care have been approached for comment.
