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Overview
Eligibility rules keep you safe. They also help the recipient do well. The FDA and transplant centers set these rules based on medical science.
Most healthy adults from 18-65 can donate. You need good health with no serious heart or lung disease. You can't have active cancer or infections you could pass to the recipient. Some conditions stop you from donating. But many common health issues (like controlled diabetes or asthma) do not stop you. Your medical team will review your health and tell you if you can safely donate and recover.
Who can donate stem cells
Who can donate stem cells?
Stem cell donors come from all backgrounds. You could be a family member stepping up to help a relative, or you could be a stranger matched through a bone marrow registry. What matters is that you meet basic health and age requirements, have no conditions that would make donation unsafe, and are willing to commit to the process.
Basic donor requirements. You'll need to meet these fundamental criteria:
- You must be 18-65 years old (some centers accept up to 70)
- You must be in good overall health
- You need a clean background check (required by law)
- You must be willing to complete the full evaluation
The greatest need is for diverse donors. Patients are most likely to find a good genetic match with someone from their own ethnic or racial background. If you have ancestry from underrepresented groups, your potential to help is especially high.
Age and health requirements
Most donation centers accept donors between ages 18 and 65. Some centers may accept donors up to 70 if your health is excellent. There's no upper age limit set in stone—your overall health matters more than your specific age.
You'll need to be in generally good health with no serious chronic diseases. This doesn't mean you must be perfect. Many donors with well-controlled conditions like asthma or diabetes are cleared to donate. Your medical team will assess whether your condition affects your ability to safely undergo donation and recovery.
Weight requirements vary by center but typically require a BMI between 18 and 35 (though some flexibility exists). You'll need normal blood pressure, good kidney and liver function, and no active infections. Blood tests will screen for these factors during evaluation.
Health requirements for donation. Your medical team will verify these standards:
- Must be 18-65 years old at minimum (some centers accept up to 70)
- Generally good health status required
- No active infections at time of collection
- No significant heart or lung disease
- Adequate vein access for PBSC collection
Conditions affecting eligibility
Certain conditions make donation unsafe because they either pose medical risk to you or could be transmitted to the recipient. Active or recent cancer, HIV, hepatitis, or syphilis disqualify you because they could be transmitted to the recipient. Serious heart or lung disease, uncontrolled diabetes, and bleeding disorders also prevent donation.
Permanent disqualifying conditions. These prevent donation due to transmission or safety risks:
- Active cancer or history of cancer (except non-melanoma skin cancer)
- HIV, hepatitis B or C, syphilis, or HTLV
- Serious heart conditions or uncontrolled high blood pressure
- Significant kidney or liver disease
- Bleeding disorders or current blood thinner use
Temporary barriers to donation
Some conditions temporarily delay eligibility but don't disqualify you permanently. Recent infections, anemia, or incomplete vaccination might require waiting a few weeks until resolved. Pregnancy and breastfeeding require waiting before donating. Recent major surgery needs adequate recovery time first.
Common temporary barriers. These can be resolved, allowing donation later:
- Recent infections. Must clear before donation
- Anemia. Must be corrected via supplementation or diet
- Incomplete vaccine series. Must be completed
- Pregnancy or breastfeeding. Must wait until complete
- Recent major surgery. Must allow recovery time
What gets tested during screening
Your medical team performs comprehensive screening to confirm your health and safety for the donation process. Multiple tests evaluate your physical health, infectious disease status, and emotional readiness.
Screening tests performed. Your medical team will conduct:
- Blood tests. Complete blood count, chemistry panel, kidney and liver function
- Blood type and HLA. Genetic tissue typing for transplant compatibility
- Infectious disease screening. HIV, hepatitis B and C, syphilis, and others
- Physical exam. Heart, lungs, and overall health evaluation
- Cardiac screening. Additional testing if bone marrow collection planned
- Social work interview. Assessment of understanding and emotional readiness
The importance of diverse donors
The genetic diversity of bone marrow registries directly affects how many patients can find a match. HLA matching is crucial, and patients are most likely to find a match within their own ancestry group. This means that when donors from underrepresented backgrounds register or step forward, they dramatically increase the chances that patients from their communities will survive.
If you have heritage from African American, Hispanic, Asian, Native American, or Pacific Islander backgrounds, your donation potential is particularly high. You might be someone's only chance at a match. Many patients from underrepresented communities wait years for a match because the donor pool doesn't reflect the genetic diversity needed.
Why diversity matters in donor registries. Ancestry affects match success significantly:
- Diverse donors save lives in their communities
- HLA matching follows ancestry patterns closely
- Underrepresented groups have fewer matches available
- Your ancestry could be critical for someone waiting
- Registry diversity directly improves patient survival rates
How to join the registry
If you're not donating for a family member, you can join the Be The Match registry online or at a local bone marrow drive. The process is simple: you complete a questionnaire, provide a small cheek swab for HLA testing, and you're on the registry. The entire enrollment takes about 10 minutes and is completely free.
Your registry sample will be stored and typed. If you're matched to a patient, you'll be contacted and invited to complete the full evaluation. From match notification to donation, you'll have time to ask questions and decide if donation is right for you. Many potential donors find this waiting period helpful for thinking through their decision.
If you change your mind before or during the matching process, you can withdraw anytime without judgment. Your medical team understands that some people decide donation isn't the right choice for their situation.
Registry enrollment process. Getting registered takes just a few simple steps:
- Online registration. Takes 10 minutes to complete questionnaire
- Cheek swab. Provides HLA sample for typing and matching
- Registry storage. Your information stored for future matches
- Notifications. Contacted via email and phone if matched
- Withdrawal option. Can withdraw before evaluation anytime
Additional Detailed Information
Additional Information
HLA typing and matching
Human Leukocyte Antigen (HLA). These proteins appear on cell surfaces and trigger immune recognition. Each person inherits 6 HLA genes (one set from each parent), creating unique HLA profiles. Donors and recipients need close HLA matching to prevent the recipient's immune system from attacking the transplanted cells or the recipient attacking the transplanted cells.
Registry HLA typing. Initial HLA typing uses DNA-based methods to identify the donor's HLA type at intermediate resolution. High-resolution typing, performed when a match is found, determines the precise HLA sequence and confirms the match.
Medical evaluation process
Baseline assessment. All potential donors complete history and physical examination, including cardiac evaluation if bone marrow collection is planned. Baseline blood work establishes that kidney, liver, and bone marrow function are adequate. Infectious disease serology screens for pathogens that could harm the recipient.
Mobilization assessment. For PBSC donors, baseline spleen size is measured via ultrasound. Some donors receive a baseline peripheral blood count to establish normal values. Blood volume assessment ensures adequate circulating volume for safe apheresis.
Screening for infectious disease
Pathogen testing. All donors are tested for HIV, hepatitis B and C, syphilis, and human T-lymphotropic virus (HTLV). Additional testing may include malaria exposure, Chagas disease, West Nile virus, and tuberculosis depending on donor history and risk factors.
Clearance standards. The FDA requires that donors be free of certain pathogens. Some viral exposures that don't affect the donor personally may require informed consent from the recipient. All results are confirmed with additional tests if initial results are positive or unclear.
Written By:
Transplants.org Staff
Last Reviewed: February 26, 2026
Informed By:
Transplants.org, with participation from 23 leading U.S. transplant centers, led the largest comparative analysis of patient educational materials in transplant history. We recognize the participating centers who helped inform and inspire our direction with initial patient-centered educational content:
- Mayo Clinic (Co-Author)
- Vanderbilt University Medical Center (Co-Author)
- Johns Hopkins Hospital (Co-Author)
- UCLA Medical Center (Co-Author)
- UCSF Medical Center (Co-Author)
Transplants.org is an independent nonprofit organization and participation is not an endorsement by these organizations.
