When it comes to their health, more than 1 in 2 men say they are influenced by the women in their lives.
Published on 26 March 2024
Women are real persuaders of men when it comes to health. And what if women used their influence on men to convince them to become bone marrow donors? Year after year, it's women who are signing up in greater numbers to the national registry of voluntary bone marrow donors. And yet, when it comes to bone marrow donation, it's more often than not men who are the profiles most sought after by transplant doctors for their patients.
Why do we prefer male donors?
While the national registry of voluntary bone marrow donors includes only 35% men, over 70% of the bone marrow donors recruited for their patients by transplant teams each year are men. Transplant physicians have found that a bone marrow cell harvest from a male donor improves their patient's chances of a successful transplant. This can be explained by immunological factors: the antibodies naturally developed by women during pregnancy (even if not carried to term), complicate the post-transplant experience for the recipient. In men, these antibodies are absent, making them more suitable candidates for the best chances of recovery.
People at the heart of recruitment strategy
Despite repeated donor recruitment campaigns targeting young males, it seems that a number of factors, as yet ill-defined, are holding men back, such as the persistent confusion between bone marrow and bone marrow, and apprehensions about the procedure. It's important to stress that in 80% of cases, blood is taken. The mobilization of men is essential if we are to continue to treat patients suffering from serious blood diseases such as leukemia effectively, thanks to this risk-free donation of bone marrow cells.
Women invited to convince men to become donors
The Agence de la biomédecine thanks women for their unwavering commitment to bone marrow donation. More than 15,000 women (out of 23,000 new donors) joined the registry in 2023[2], but they can make an even greater difference to patients by talking to their sons, brothers, husbands, etc. about the importance of bone marrow donation. Their power of influence with men makes them true prescribers in raising awareness and encouraging their male entourage to become donors to help patients recover.
The Agence de la biomédecine (French Biomedicine Agency) surveyed the French public on women's prescribing power in health matters. The results reveal that 59% of men admit to being influenced by women in their close circle (family, spouse, friends, acquaintances, colleagues...) in their thinking or actions in terms of health and solidarity.
Among young men aged 18-35, the target group for bone marrow donor recruitment, this figure rises to 66%. These men say they are most influenced by their female entourage on health issues, followed by consumer affairs (63%), society (62%), ecology (54%) and, lastly, politics (52%).
Women therefore have a major role to play!"Despite our constant efforts to encourage men to join the bone marrow donor registry, we are seeing progress being too slow. That's why we're launching a major appeal to women to encourage the men in their lives to become donors. Their ability to convince them can make a real difference, and improve the prospects of recovery for patients who need it," explains Dr Catherine Faucher, Director of Bone Marrow Collection and Transplantation at the French Biomedicine Agency (Agence de la biomédecine).