TY  - JOUR
AU  - Mishra, Vikash Chandra
AU  - Chandra, Dinesh
AU  - Raina, Vimarsh
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/07/30
TI  - Volunteer Stem Cell Donor Registries: Global Evolution and the Indian Perspective
JO  - OBM Transplantation
SP  - 272
VL  - 10
IS  - 03
AB  - Hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) offers a potentially curative option for a range of malignant and non-malignant hematological disorders. However, only approximately 25-30% of patients have access to a human leukocyte antigen (HLA)-matched related donor (MRD), necessitating alternative donor approaches, including matched unrelated donor (MUD) and haploidentical transplantation. Although advances in haploidentical HSCT have substantially improved donor availability, MUD HSCT continues to play an important role in selected high-risk hematological malignancies where optimal HLA matching may influence transplant outcomes. Volunteer stem cell donor registries (VSCDRs) were established to address this unmet need and have evolved into a globally interconnected network facilitating international donor searches and cross-border hematopoietic stem cell (HSC) exchange. According to recent World Marrow Donor Association (WMDA) reports, the global donor pool exceeds 44 million volunteer donors and 0.76 million cord blood units (CBUs). Despite this expansion, significant disparities persist for genetically diverse and underrepresented populations, particularly in South Asia. India faces unique challenges related to extensive HLA heterogeneity, limited indigenous donor representation, prolonged MUD search timelines, and donor attrition. Recent studies suggest that fully MUD probabilities for Indian patients remain substantially lower than those reported for populations of European ancestry. This review summarizes the global evolution of VSCDRs, examines the current landscape of Indian registries, and discusses key operational, economic, and infrastructural challenges affecting MUD HSCT in India. Potential strategies, including targeted donor recruitment, improved donor retention programs, national registry integration, and broader adoption of next-generation sequencing (NGS)-based high-resolution (HR) HLA typing, are also discussed as approaches to improve donor availability and equitable access to HSCT in India.
SN  - 2577-5820
UR  - https://doi.org/10.21926/obm.transplant.2603272
DO  - 10.21926/obm.transplant.2603272
ID  - Mishra2026
ER  -