New Zealand Blood Service welcomes New Zealand Bone Marrow Donor Registry (NZBMDR)

New Zealand Blood Service (NZBS) recently welcomed New Zealand Bone Marrow Donor Registry (NZBMDR) to the service, in a move that brings together two services that specialise in the delicate process of cellular therapy product donation, manufacture, and transportation.

It is a result of a project recently undertaken in conjunction with the Leukaemia and Blood Cancer Foundation (LBC) to facilitate the transition of the service to NZBS.

NZBMDR officially became part of NZBS on December 1, 2022.

NZBS has worked closely with the NZBMDR team to ensure there is minimal changes or impacts to service delivery throughout the transition.

NZBMDR is already based in the NZBD Epsom Donor Centre and works closely with many NZBS teams.

NZBS is excited to take on responsibility for the NZBMDR. We welcome the team members and look forward to playing a role in growing this vital service in the future.

About NZBMDR

The New Zealand Bone Marrow Donor Registry (NZBMDR) lists approximately 13,000 potential donors who are willing to donate cells from their bone marrow to patients worldwide if they are found to match someone in need of a transplant. The New Zealand Bone Marrow Donor Registry is part of a worldwide network of registries which contain over 40 million unrelated volunteer donors and cord blood units.

The New Zealand Bone Marrow Donor Registry (NZBMDR) is responsible for searching all registries for unrelated volunteer donors for NZ patients who require a bone marrow transplant and do not have a suitable family donor. NZBMDR is also responsible for recruiting volunteer donors who are willing to donate their bone marrow to a matched patient anywhere in the world.

About New Zealand Blood Service

NZBS in a not-for-profit Crown entity responsible for the collection, processing, testing and storage and distribution of all blood and blood products in New Zealand. 

We rely on voluntary and non-remunerated blood donations from individuals around the country in order to provide a constant supply of precious blood and blood products used by our health services to save thousands of lives.

NZBS also provides cell and tissue products and related services to meet public health needs, and maintains national oversight of organ donation and distribution.