Welsh bone marrow Donor Registry

Details of Services offered by WBMDR (WBM-50 rev. 01/2008)

Preliminary search
Rapid expansion of donor type by WBMDR
Dispatch of samples for further testing
Formal donor work up
Donor T-cell collection for DLI
Cancellation fees

 

WBMDR Services

1. Preliminary search

Only approved Registries or Transplant Centres may activate searches.

To ensure an accurate and efficient donor search it is essential to give full details of the patient's HLA-A, B and DR type. Please include DNA-based typing at higher resolution when available.

Our HLA-A,-B,-C,-DRB1,-DQB1 typing of Haemopoietic Progenitor Cell (HPC) donor volunteers at registration is undertaken by PCR using sequence-specific primers at low/intermediate resolution. That is, at the level of the first two digits of the allele number as a minimum. In view of the nature of the HLA polymorphism very occasionally a phenotype may be encountered that possesses a rare allele that cannot be differentiated by our typing method.

A report will be issued to the requesting Registry giving details of HLA-A, B, DR 'matched' donors. This report will include the donors' HLA-DQ type and often include donors' HLA-C type.

Reported CMV status is based upon a screening test used by the Welsh Blood Service to assess the suitability of blood for neo-natal use. In the event of an equivocal result these donors were historically reported as CMV positive. It is therefore possible that a donor reported as CMV positive could be CMV negative using a more accurate test.

 

2. Rapid expansion of donor typing by WBMDR

Donors already identified to be HLA-A, B, DR matched (by serology/low resolution DNA typing) can be retyped in our laboratory using stored material to expand upon the original typing. Stored material will not be made available to other laboratories.

On request we can undertake the following typing:

HLA-A, -B, -C, -DRB1, -DRB3, -DRB4, -DRB5, -DQA1, -DQB1, -DPA1 -DPB1; HA-1, HA-2

Full details of the alleles identified by our laboratory are available at www.wtail.org.uk/wbmdr.htm

In compliance with European Federation of Immunogenetics standards all HLA typing ambiguities are reported. Due to the increasing number of HLA alleles we are sometimes not able to immediately exclude the presence of rare alleles designated in very recent HLA nomenclature updates.

Results will normally be available within four working days of request.

If stored material is unavailable, we will endeavour to collect fresh material from the donor and report the results as soon as possible (usually within 15 days).

 

3. Dispatch of samples for testing by Transplant Centre

Notice of at least 1 complete ‘Business day’ must be given of cancellation of blood samples, otherwise we are unable to guarantee the cancellation of procurement and fees due.

3.1 Procurement fee for each donor sample provided

Includes donor interview session, donor travelling expenses, phlebotomy, blood packaging, and general administration. For all samples infectious disease marker testing (HBsAg, anti-HCV, anti-HIV, TPHA and anti-CMV) is included at this stage.

Requested donors will be reserved for 8 weeks from date of collection.

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4. Formal Donor Work-up

4.1 Provision of donor

Physical evaluation of prospective donor

Includes donor interview session, medical examination and laboratory tests, screening for infectious disease markers (HBsAg, anti-HCV, anti-HBc, anti-HIV 1 & 2 / HIV p24 combo test, anti-HTLV I, serologic test for Syphilis, anti-CMV, anti EBV, anti-Toxoplasma) and post collection follow-up.

Donor costs

Includes donor disability life insurance, donor travelling and loss of earnings expenses.

4.1.1 Bone marrow procurement

Includes hospitalisation, and bone marrow collection.

4.1.2 PBSC obtained by G-CSF

Includes injections, hotel accommodation and all costs incurred in collection by apheresis.

N.B. We only collect PBSC donations on Tuesdays

(Wednesday as collection day 2 if required)

    The final choice to donate either bone marrow or G-CSF stimulated PBSC shall reside with the donor.

    A donor can give a maximum of 2 HPC donations, with not more than 1 being stimulated by G-CSF.

4.2 Transportation

Only applicable if the WBMDR provides a courier to transport HPC outside the UK.

 

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5. Donor T-Cell collection for DLI - post HPC Collection

Available only if approved by a WBMDR medical consultant and from donors who gave their consent to this donation before the HPC collection.

5.1 Donor Lymphocyte collection from donor

We currently collect on Tuesday or Wednesday only.

Physical evaluation of prospective donor

Includes donor interview session, medical examination and laboratory tests, screening for infectious disease markers (HBsAg, anti-HCV, anti-HBc, anti-HIV 1 & 2 / HIV p24 combo test, anti-HTLV I, serologic test for Syphilis, anti-CMV, anti EBV, anti-Toxoplasma) and post collection follow-up.

Collection and processing costs

All included

Donor costs

Includes donor disability insurance, donor life insurance, donor travelling and loss of earnings expenses.

There is no limit to the number of donor lymphocyte infusions that can be requested, providing there is reasonable expectation of success as determined by a WBMDR medical consultant.

5.2 Buffy Coat Preparation (from a single donation of whole blood from selected donor)

Physical evaluation of prospective donor

Includes donor interview session, medical review of donor to undergo procedure, screening for infectious disease markers (HBsAg, anti-HCV, anti-HIV, TPHA, and anti-CMV), and post collection follow-up

Collection and processing costs

All included

Donor costs

Includes donor disability insurance, donor life insurance, donor travelling and loss of earnings expenses.

There is no limit to the number of Buffy coat preparations that can be requested, providing there is reasonable expectation of success as determined by a WBMDR medical consultant.

5.3 Transportation

Only applicable if the WBMDR provides a courier to transport product outside UK.

 

6. Cancellation fees

6.1 If a request for a selected donor has been received and the transplant is then cancelled or postponed and the donor has not undergone the medical examination, an administrative charge only will be made.

6.2 If a transplant is cancelled or postponed indefinitely and the donor has undergone the medical examination this fee will be charged. If at a later date, the transplant does proceed and the donor does not require a second medical, the initial cancellation payment will be deducted from the overall provision fee.

6.3 No administration fee will apply if the donor declines to donate or is medically deferred. However, a fee for other completed services will apply.

6.4 If a transplant is cancelled, only services already provided and donor expenses already incurred will be charged for.

 

7.  Request Forms

Service request forms are available at our website at www.wtail.org.uk/wbmdr.htm by following the link Download Service Request Forms on the left-hand side.

 
8. General understanding and conditions of HPC provision

A copy of the conditions of HPC provision by the WBMDR (WBM-400) can also be found on the website detailed above.

 

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