Donor shortage cuts life-saving matches for ethnic minority patients

Dutch health organizations warned that patients from ethnic minority backgrounds face reduced chances of receiving life-saving blood, stem cell, or organ donations because people from the same backgrounds are less likely to be registered as donors.

People in the Netherlands with non-European ancestry, including Surinamese and Moroccan Dutch residents, are far less likely to be registered as blood, stem cell, or organ donors, according to the Nederlandse Transplantatie Stichting, Sanquin, and Matchis. The organizations said Monday that lower registration rates directly reduce patients’ chances of finding a suitable donor, as donor compatibility is highest among people with similar ancestral backgrounds.

Research among Moroccan and Surinamese Dutch residents shows that many are willing to become donors if they receive clearer information. In response, the three organizations are launching a national campaign, “Donor van Ons,” carried out on behalf of the Ministry of Health, Welfare, and Sport, to broaden the donor base.

“If the donor supply does not keep pace, the risk of growing health disparities increases,” the organizations said. They warned that patients may face longer waiting times or receive less ideal treatments, increasing the risk of complications or the need for additional medication.

The organizations cited biological and medical differences between population groups. Blood groups and genetic variants can differ, meaning blood from a donor with a European background may have different structures than blood from someone with an Antillean, Surinamese, or African background. In such cases, a patient’s body can develop antibodies against donor blood. Inherited conditions can further complicate treatment.