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Haematopoietic cell transplants in Latin America

Bone Marrow Transplantation volume 51, pages 898–905 (2016)Cite this article

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Abstract

Haematopoietic cell transplants are done by more than 1500 transplant centres in 75 countries, mostly for life-threatening haematological disorders. However, transplant technology and access are not uniformly distributed worldwide. Most transplants are done predominately in Europe, North America and some Asian countries. We review transplant activity in Latin America, a geographic region with a population of >600 million persons living in countries with diverse economic and social development levels. These data indicate a 20–40-fold lower frequency of transplants in Latin America compared with Europe and North America. We show that although economics, infrastructure and expertise are important limitations, other variables also operate. Changes in several of these variables may substantially increase transplant activity in Latin America.

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Acknowledgements

The following colleagues provided helpful comments: Luis Fernando Bouzas (Instituto Nacional de Cancer–INCA, Brazil), Sebastian Galeano, Hospital Británico, Uruguay, Gregorio Jaimovich, LABMT president, Buenos Aires, Argentina, Juliana Martinez Rolon, Fundaleu, Buenos Aires, Argentina and Guillermo J Ruiz-Arguelles, Centro de Hematologia Puebla, Mexico. RPG acknowledges support from the NIHR Biomedical Research Centre funding scheme.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Division of Experimental Medicine, Department of Medicine, Haematology Research Centre, Imperial College London, London, UK

    R P Gale

  2. Latin American Bone Marrow Transplantation Group and Hospital Samaritano, São Paulo, Brazil

    A Seber

  3. Federal University of Parana, Curitiba, Brazil

    C Bonfim

  4. Center for International Blood and Marrow Transplant Research and Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI, USA

    M Pasquini

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  1. R P Gale
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Correspondence to R P Gale.

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Gale, R., Seber, A., Bonfim, C. et al. Haematopoietic cell transplants in Latin America. Bone Marrow Transplant 51, 898–905 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1038/bmt.2016.35

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