Very high demand for collection procedures

Demand for transplant material from unrelated donors from Switzerland reached an all-time high in 2024. Accordingly, the number of times confirmatory typing was performed also reached a record high. Counting all types of donations together, i.e. primary collection procedures, DLI (donor lymphocyte infusions) and cord blood, the total number of products provided by Swiss Transfusion SRC topped the 100 mark for the first time.

The demand for Swiss donors continues – both in Switzerland and abroad.

Before a blood stem cell donation can take place, Swiss Transfusion SRC ascertains whether that person is willing and able to donate and arranges for confirmatory typing to verify their HLA markers. In 2024, confirmatory typing was performed for 422 individuals, a 17 per cent increase compared to the 2023 figure (359).

Products from Switzerland are in demand. Donors in the Swiss registry are young, and their tissue typing is of a high quality. Among them are donors with rare HLA haplotypes (series of HLA genes on a chromosome, one inherited from the mother and one from the father). Efficient processes are another reason that the Swiss registry is so popular as a partner.

A total of 90 procedures were performed in Switzerland in 2024 to collect blood stem cells for unrelated recipients – 9 more than in 2023 (81). This includes one secondary collection from an individual who had already donated once. Two of the donations collected went to patients in Switzerland (2023: 7).

In addition, three units of cord blood from Switzerland were used in transplant procedures in 2024 (2023: 1).

«We have never before received so many requests for donations from Swiss donors in our registry. Thus, we are all the more delighted to have been able to save more than 100 lives with blood stem cell donations from Switzerland.»

Dr. Oliver Kürsteiner, Head of Swiss Blood Stem Cells

From the search to the donation

Swiss Transfusion SRC connects suitable donors with patients in Switzerland and throughout the world. The continuous demand shows that a constant availability of registered donors remains essential.

Swiss Transfusion SRC managed to raise its availability indicator from 51 per cent to 57 per cent in the year under report. The four per cent decrease in non-availability for personal reasons is particularly worth mentioning and welcome.

Once a definitive decision on a donor has been taken, arrangements must be made to have the blood stem cells collected and delivered to the patient at the right time. No more than 72 hours can elapse between the collection and the transplantation of blood stem cells. Swiss Transfusion SRC liaises between the collection and transplant centres and ensures that logistical challenges are overcome. This applies both to collection procedures performed within Switzerland and to the transport of transplant material donated for patients in Switzerland, most of which comes from abroad.

Swiss Transfusion SRC received 485 “work-up requests” in 2024 (2023: 449) – meaning requests to make the arrangements for transplant procedures for Swiss patients or for the collection of blood stem cells from Swiss donors.

The organisation also received 260 search requests from Swiss transplant centres in 2024, compared to 244 in 2023.

More transplant procedures performed in Switzerland

The number of transplant procedures performed in Switzerland rose significantly in 2024: a total of 336 procedures were performed to transplant blood stem cells collected from unrelated donors (201) or from relatives (135) in 2024, which corresponds to a 2.5 per cent increase compared to 2023 (328).

Among the procedures involving unrelated donors, 188 were primary (first-time) transplant procedures (2023: 187), and 13 were secondary procedures (2023: 12).

The number of people undergoing CAR T cell therapy in Switzerland continues to rise as well. In 2024, this type of treatment was carried out 191 times in Switzerland (2023: 174). CAR T cell therapy involves the use of genetic engineering techniques to reprogramme a patient’s own immune cells so that they will recognise and attack cancer cells. Immune cells (T cells) are taken from the patient’s blood, modified in the laboratory and then infused back into the patient.

National Data Management and Research Centre for Stem Cell Transplantation and Cellular Therapy (NDRC)

To analyse the efficacy of blood stem cell transplants and new forms of therapies, outcome data (variables that are monitored to document impacts on, for instance, healing, clinical deterioration and mortality) is systematically recorded and analysed. In Switzerland, blood stem cell transplant procedures fall under the Intercantonal Agreement on Highly Specialised Medical Services (IVHSM), which requires annual reporting.

In the past, University Hospital Basel carried out the analysis on behalf of Swiss Blood Stem Cell Transplantation and Cellular Therapy (SBST). As planned, Swiss Transfusion SRC took over this task during the year under report, hiring a clinical data manager for this purpose. In taking on this responsibility, Swiss Transfusion RC is strengthening and further expanding its expertise in transplantation medicine.

Key figures overview

Donors registered in Switzerland

190'800

183'091 (2023)

of those, new 10'665

8'645 (2023)

Registered cord blood units

5'596

5'501 (2023)

of those, new 120

124 (2023)