Promotion of donations

In accordance with the French bioethics laws, the Agency is responsible for promoting bone marrow donation and managing the recruitment of new donors. This mission is supported by a wide network of partners: healthcare professionals, healthcare establishments and donation centers (CHU, EFS), patient associations and institutional players. The national registry of voluntary bone marrow donors, managed by the Agency via the National Bone Marrow Donor Search System (Syrenad), is at the heart of this approach. The Agency also collaborates with international registries to broaden the possibilities of finding a compatible donor and optimize the chances of finding donors compatible with patients awaiting transplants.

To diversify and enrich the register, each year the Agency designs donation promotion campaigns targeting young adults aged 18 to 35, and organizes recruitment actions in the field. These campaigns, which use all communication channels - social networks, press, posters, events, etc. - are guided by barometer surveys and systematically evaluated. Donation centers and associations also relay these actions in the field, supporting people wishing to obtain information or register. Last but not least, the Agence de la biomédecine coordinates and develops the loyalty of the Veilleurs de vie network, the 400,000 or so donors on the register who can be mobilized at any time to donate marrow for a patient.

Every year, around the 3rd Saturday in September, World Bone Marrow Donor Day, the Agency organizes a national mobilization week. This event raises the profile of the cause, informs the public and recruits new donors, thanks to coordinated actions across the country. This includes local events, partnerships with the media and the distribution of educational content online and in donation centers.

"Becoming a bone marrow donor means becoming a life-watcher, ready to offer a unique chance of recovery to patients suffering from serious illnesses. This act of generosity is at the heart of Agence de la biomédecine's actions, to reinforce solidarity and save lives", Marine Jeantet, Chief Executive Officer.