AAPI Launches Nationwide Stem Cell Donor Drive

India-West Staff Reporter

WASHINGTON, DC – The American Association of Physicians of Indian Origin (AAPI) has launched a nationwide stem cell donor drive to expand the donor pool for Indian American patients.

This initiative addresses the critical challenge of finding compatible donors, as matches are based on ethnicity-specific Human Leukocyte Antigen (HLA) markers, making it difficult for patients of Indian descent to find a match.

Launched in 2024 in partnership with the National Marrow Donor Program (NMDP), the campaign aims to centralize donor registration efforts that were once undertaken by individual families. Dr. Amit Chakrabarty, AAPI President, emphasized the urgency, noting that stem cell transplants are a vital treatment for blood cancers.

Since November 2024, drives have been organized in over two dozen cities, including Milwaukee, Atlanta, Louisville, and Houston, demonstrating a strong community response. Dr. Krishan Kumar, Vice President-Elect, highlighted the disparity, stating that 70% of patients lack a family match and the odds are even lower for Indians due to the limited donor pool.

AAPI is now expanding its efforts to India, partnering with the Global Association of Indian Medical Students and DATRI, a stem cell bank. A large-scale drive is planned for the Global Health Summit in Bhubaneswar, Odisha, in January 2026.

The registration process is simple, as Dr. Meher Medavaram, President-Elect, explained in a press release. It involves scanning a QR code, filling out details, and returning a cheek swab kit. For matched donors, all travel costs are covered, and the donation process is safe and complication-free. Dr. Hetal Gor, Chair of AAPI BOT, underscored the commitment required, saying, “You could be someone’s only match—their only hope. Registering is a serious promise.”