Phillip, et al, I just went and did some asking of questions and yes you are right the NMDP does not allow homosexuals to register. However, if you would still like to register, are gay and are in the US, you can register with the Caitlin Raymond International Registry. CRIR has no restriction based on sexual orientation.

Schmod, unfortunately you can't be as definite as you seem to be. A successful donation has a very good chance of saving someones life however once the transplant has taken place it is still a rocky road to recovery. From statistics i have seen of survival numbers after transplant it appears that only 60% of transplant recipients survive more than 5 years after transplant. This is still a HUGE chance to save someones life.

Disneyboy, being homosexual should not disqualify you from becoming a bone marrow donor. This is a draconian interpretation of the FDA's regulations. Homosexuality is still considered a high risk behavior, but it should not exclude you from donation if you are HIV negative. I know this to be the case with CRIR but i would

Please everyone register to be a donor. This promotion through the NMDP is wonderful. For those who miss their window and still want to register, you may like to know that some states in the USA; Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and Rhode Island; have laws which require your insurance provider to pay for the cost of the initial testing for a person to be registered with either the NMDP or the Caitlin Raymond International Registry.

Once you are a registered donor you may be called on for additional testing to determine if you are a match for a patient. These tests will generally require a blood draw.

If you are determined to be a close enough match for a patient there are 2 methods for obtaining your bone marrow. The first is the Marrow Collection, which is procedure where, in essence, a big needle is stuck in your hip and stem cells, in the form of bone marrow are extracted. The other method is a peripheral blood stem cell collection, of PBSC, which involved giving the donor a schedule of drugs to increase the concentration of stem cells in the blood stream and they a collection very similar to a platelet collection occurs; where the blood is taken from one arm, filtered and then returned to the other arm.

Either of these collection methods can be highly unpleasant. However any unpleasantness on the part of the donor will hopefully be outweighed by the knowledge that your discomfort is saving another human beings life. I hope you will all consider becoming a registered bone marrow donor.