The Government of the Republic of Armenia

Ms. Frieda Jordan stated the reasons behind the creation of the Armenian Bone Marrow Donors Registry in 1999, the outcome of its past activities and the programs ahead which are expected to be backed by the State as well. The basic goal of the Foundation was said to consist in identifying corresponding donors for Armenian patients through the network of laboratories as established by the Registry in 2000, as well as ensuring that patients suffering from leukemia and other blood diseases get efficacious aid in terms of bone marrow transplantation. The chairwoman of the foundation pointed out that all research activities by the registry are carried out in full compliance with the international standards susceptible to open up vast opportunities for the establishment of close ties with other registries operational worldwide. The registry is a member of the International Organization of Bone Marrow Donors and a full member of the World Association of Bone Marrow Donors. In January 2001, a campaign for voluntary subscription of donors started in Armenia resulting in a total of 14.000 donors subscribed from both Armenia and the Diaspora. The representatives of the Foundation said they were going to develop the scope of activities of this internationally acknowledged and unique in our region health center. Among the program's key targets, they mentioned the nationwide mobilization of donors and the establishment of an all-Armenian registry network to be governed from Yerevan, as well as the organization of cooperation with similar registries functioning in the world in order to increase the transplant conformity resource for Armenian patients, promote the development of the Armenian transplantology and establish a center for stem cells collection and transplantation.