C.W. Bill Young Cell Transplantation Program

For more than 35 years, NMDP^SM has been entrusted by Congress to operate what is now known as the C.W. Bill Young Cell Transplantation Program. Our mission is to find cures for and save the lives of patients with blood cancers and disorders. During this time, members of Congress have reauthorized the program on a bipartisan basis every 5 years.

In 1979, Laura Graves received the first unrelated bone marrow transplant for leukemia. Her parents wanted other families to have the same hope for a cure, so they set out to create a national marrow donor registry. Doctors, patient families and legislators answered the call.

The National Bone Marrow Donor Registry was launched in 1987 with congressional support from Congressman C.W. Bill Young and funding from the US. Navy. First housed in the Department of the Navy, the program found its permanent home at the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) within the Department of Health and Human Services. In 2005, the National Bone Marrow Donor Registry became the C.W. Bill Young Cell Transplantation Program.

Today, as part of that program and through our contract with HRSA, we manage the NMDP Registry^SM, the world’s most diverse registry of potential bone marrow or blood cell donors. We connect patients to their donor match for a life-saving blood and bone marrow transplant and conduct research so more lives can be saved.

In 2020, members of Congress passed the TRANSPLANT Act. This act reauthorizes the program for an additional 5 years.

Learn more about the current statutory authority:

• Read the 2020 testimony from Brian Lindberg, NMDP chief administrative officer and general counsel, before the Energy and Commerce Committee Hearing on Health.
• Read the 2020 Transplant Center coalition letter sent to U.S. Congress to urge passage of the TRANSPLANT Act.
• H.R. 2820, H.R. 1344 and H.R. 1462, June 25, 2015. Current Statutory Authority [42 U.S.C. § 274k-m]

Funding for the national registry goes to:

• Increasing the number of healthy, young adult bone marrow and blood cell donors available through the national registry
• Continuing to simplify processes and systems to reduce time to transplant, providing the patient and their physician access to bone marrow or blood cell transplant exactly when the patient needs it
• Blood and bone marrow transplant research so that patients have increased access and a deeper understanding of the help they need

You can help ensure the continuation of funding for the national registry or C.W. Bill Young Cell Transplantation Program. Let your elected officials know that funding is necessary to support our life-saving goal of delivering cures to patients with blood cancers and other blood diseases.

Follow @NMDP_advocacy for updates on our legislative efforts, our public policy initiatives and additional ways to advocate for bone marrow and blood cell transplants in real time.