What is confirmatory typing? How am I identified as a match?
Confirmatory typing (CT) is the health and medical assessment process that is carried out when you are selected as a potential match for a blood stem cell patient.
The process confirms that your registered HLA tissue typing taken at the time you first registered as a donor is actually correct, as this is fundamentally important for a successful match.
Before any donation takes place, you will be asked:
- to fill out a detailed health questionnaire so we can make sure early on that you are still suitable as a donor
- for a blood sample (your blood draw appointment), which can be taken by your regular GP or at a local hospital. Your sample will then be sent to one of our labs so your tissue (HLA) characteristics can be analysed and checked for other infections such as HIV or hepatitis viruses.
The results of your blood tests will be shared with the patient’s medical team and used to decide whether you are the best possible match for the patient.
We allocate three months from the date of your blood draw appointment:
- to allow the patient’s medical team enough time to have all matched donors tested, and
- for the patient to begin their treatment ready for the transplant.
If you are selected to donate, we will aim to give you as much notice as possible. If there are any important dates when you know you cannot donate, please let us know as we will always try to accommodate your schedule.
If you have been identified as a match and you have any questions, you can call our medical team on 020 8747 5660 with your donor ID ready so we can give you more information.
