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Unrelated donor registries in India: how DATRI and others work | CION Cancer Clinics
An unrelated donor registry records healthy volunteers' tissue types so a patient without a matching relative can find a stranger who matches. DATRI is one of India's largest not-for-profit registries, alongside DKMS-BMST Foundation India and Marrow Donor Registry India. Joining usually takes a cheek swab and a consent form. Most people are never called, and you can withdraw at any time. This page explains joining, searches and limits. At CION Cancer Clinics, our haematology team assesses whether a transplant or CAR-T fits your situation and coordinates care with qualified centres.
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Medically reviewed by Dr. Basudev PokhrelConsultant Haematologist · last reviewed September 2026, next review due September 2027
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On this page
- What is an unrelated donor registry, and how does DATRI fit in?
- Which donor registries work in India?
- What happens when you join a registry?
- How does a search for a patient move forward?
- What stops people joining a registry?
- Who should not join, and what can a registry not promise?
- Common questions about donor registries in India
The short answer
What is an unrelated donor registry, and how does DATRI fit in?
An unrelated donor registry is a list of healthy volunteers whose tissue type has been recorded, so a patient with no matching relative can search for a stranger who matches. DATRI is one of the largest registries of this kind in India, and it is a not-for-profit organisation.
Why registries matter in India
Most patients who need a donor transplant do not have a fully matched brother or sister. The HLA genes used for matching run in families and communities, so a patient from India is more likely to find a match among donors with a similar background. International registries hold millions of donors, but relatively few of them have Indian roots. That is why Indian registries ask people from every state, language and community to join.
Who this page is for
It is written mainly for you if you are thinking of joining a registry, or have been told you may match a patient you have never met. If you are a family member looking for a donor, it also explains how searches work and what to ask the transplant centre.
Joining a registry is a promise to be contacted and asked. It is not a signed commitment to donate.Where to look
Which donor registries work in India?
Transplant centres can search several registries at once. Each one runs its own sign-up drives, age rules and consent process.
DATRI
A not-for-profit registry based in Chennai that recruits donors across India through camps, colleges and workplaces. Transplant centres send it search requests for their patients.
DKMS-BMST Foundation India
A not-for-profit registry run as a partnership between the German donor centre DKMS and the Bangalore Medical Services Trust. It recruits donors and also supports awareness drives.
Marrow Donor Registry India
A registry based in Mumbai, often shortened to MDRI. It works with transplant centres to search its list of volunteers.
Registry names, rules and sign-up methods change. Check their own websites for current details.International registries
Transplant centres can also search registries abroad through global networks. Donors of Indian origin living overseas are sometimes found this way.
Worth knowing
- Cells may have to travel by courier
- Searches abroad often cost more
Not sure whether this applies to you?
Ask an oncologistSigning up
What happens when you join a registry?
Check you are eligible
You answer questions on age, weight and health. Each registry sets its own age range for joining, usually covering young and middle-aged adults. Some long-term illnesses rule people out.
Consent and a cheek swab
You read and sign a consent form, then rub swabs on the inside of your cheeks. Many registries post a kit home or run drives at colleges and offices.
Your type goes on the list
The laboratory reads your HLA type. Your details are stored with a donor code, and transplant centres searching for patients see the code and type, not your name.
A call, perhaps years later
Most people who join are never called. If you are, the registry asks whether you are still willing and arranges a fresh blood sample to confirm the match.
For families searching
How does a search for a patient move forward?
Stage
What it means
Preliminary search
A quick look at how many possible matches exist on paper, often free or low cost
Formal search
The transplant centre asks the registry to contact chosen donors, and fees apply
Confirmatory typing
The donor gives a fresh blood sample to recheck the match in detail
Donor work-up
Health checks on the donor, then a collection date is agreed with the centre
Leave a number, we will call you
One field. No form to fill in, and no charge for the call.
Commonly believed
What stops people joining a registry?
"Donating means they drill into your spine."
Stem cells are not taken from the spine. Most donations today are collected from the blood in the arm by a machine. Less often, cells are drawn from the back of the hip bone under anaesthetic.
"Only people of the same caste or religion can match."
Matches do happen more often within shared ancestry, but they cross religion, caste and state lines all the time. Registries need donors from every community, so nobody's background is a reason not to join.
"If I join and then back out, I will get into trouble."
You can withdraw at any time. What registries ask is that you tell them early, and keep your phone number and address updated, so a patient is not left waiting on a donor who cannot be reached.
"Donating leaves you weak or unable to have children."
Your body replaces the donated cells. Donors are checked carefully beforehand, and most return to normal activity quickly. Rare serious problems exist, and the registry should explain them honestly.
Did you know
Your donor record is kept under a code. The patient's family is not given your name, and in most registries you and the patient can only exchange anonymous messages at first, if both of you want to.
Being straight with you
Who should not join, and what can a registry not promise?
A registry is only as useful as the people on it who say yes when called. If you already know you would not donate to a stranger, it is kinder not to join than to say no at the moment a patient is waiting.
People who may not be accepted
Registries usually turn down people outside their age range, people below a certain weight, and people with some heart, blood, autoimmune or long-term infectious conditions. Pregnancy delays donation. If you are unsure, ask the registry before swabbing.
What a family should know
A registry search cannot promise a match, and a match on paper cannot promise the donor will still be willing, healthy and reachable. Searches take weeks to months. While waiting, the team may also look at half-matched relatives or cord blood. CION's haematology team does not run a registry or perform transplants on site. We review the case, discuss it at a tumour board and help families reach a transplant centre that can start a formal search.
Questions we are asked
Common questions about donor registries in India
Does it cost anything to join DATRI or another registry?
Joining is usually free for the donor. Registries run on donations and fees charged to transplant centres when a patient's search moves forward. If anyone asks you to pay to register as a donor, check with the registry directly before handing over money.
Can I join more than one registry?
Most registries advise against it. Many share their lists through global networks, so joining twice creates duplicate records and confusion when you are called. Pick one registry, keep your contact details updated and tell them if your health changes.
How will I know if I have matched a patient?
The registry calls, messages or emails you using the details you gave. They explain that you may match someone, ask whether you are still willing, and arrange a blood test. Save the registry's number, and reply even if your answer is no.
Will I be told who the patient is?
Usually not at first. You are typically told broad details, such as an approximate age and the illness. Rules on meeting or sharing names later depend on the registry and on both sides agreeing. Ask the registry what their policy is.
How long does a registry search take for a patient?
A preliminary search can show possible matches quickly. Moving to a donor ready to give cells usually takes weeks to a few months, depending on how fast donors respond and pass their checks. Ask the transplant centre for a realistic timeline for your case.
Will I have to travel to donate?
Possibly. Collection happens at a centre the registry works with, which may not be in your city. Registries usually arrange and pay for your travel, stay and meals, and those of a companion. Confirm this in writing before you agree.
Who pays for an unrelated donor search?
The patient's side, through the transplant centre. Coverage under Aarogyasri, CGHS, ECHS, EHS, PM-JAY or private insurance varies, and scheme rules change. Some registries and charities help with fees. Ask the centre for a written breakdown before a formal search starts.
Can CION search a registry for our family?
Formal searches are requested by the transplant centre that will do the transplant. CION's haematology team can review the patient's reports, explain whether a donor transplant is being considered, and help you reach a qualified centre that can start the search.
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Sources
- American Cancer Society — Stem cell transplant donors
- National Cancer Institute — Stem Cell Transplants in Cancer Treatment
- NHS — Stem cell and bone marrow transplants
- Blood Cancer UK — Blood Cancer UK
This page is general information, not a prescription. Do not change or stop any treatment based on what you read here. If anything is worrying you, contact your own treating team — or call our helpline and we will help you reach the right specialist.
Keep reading
Related pages
Cost of Donor Search and Registry Fees in IndiaWhat a formal search costs and who paysBeing Typed as a Possible Donor: What HappensThe swab and confirmatory blood testDonor Eligibility: Age, Weight and Health ConditionsCheck whether you can joinHLA Matching Explained: What a 10/10 Match MeansWhat makes a stranger a match
Talk to us
Looking for a donor for someone in your family?
Tell us what has been found so far. Our haematology team will review the reports and help you reach a transplant centre that can start a search. One helpline serves every CION centre.