Frequently Asked Questions

Giving blood is allowed in most religions. The conditions are the same as the medical ones: it must not harm you and you must be healthy.

If you are unsure, contact a pastor, religious leader, or theologian.

• If your blood type is needed, you receive an invitation by email.

• You then make an appointment at a Sanquin donation center near you and arrive at the scheduled time.

• First, you complete a short medical questionnaire, which the donor physician reviews with you.

• Your blood pressure and hemoglobin (Hb) level are checked. If everything is in order, you can proceed with the donation.

• The donation takes place in a comfortable donation chair. You can choose which arm to use. 

• The blood collection itself takes about 10 minutes, and a Sanquin staff member monitors you throughout the process to ensure everything goes smoothly.

• After donating, you are invited to have something to eat and drink in the donor café, free of charge.

• The entire visit takes about an hour.

No. You will feel a brief needle prick when the needle is inserted. It may feel slightly uncomfortable, but it only lasts a second. Once the donation has started, you should not feel any pain. The donation itself takes about 10 minutes. A Sanquin staff member stays with you throughout the process to make sure everything goes smoothly. You will be well cared for.

Yes, you can. If you are afraid of needles, you can discuss this during the intake and medical check. Sanquin staff are experienced in supporting people with needle anxiety. They will take extra time to explain the process and help you feel comfortable. Read more about fear of needles here.

Before you are approved to donate, you undergo a medical screening to ensure that donating is safe for you. After donating, some donors may feel slightly weak or lightheaded for a short time. Sanquin staff are there to monitor you and make sure you feel well before you leave. That is also why you are encouraged to have something to eat and drink in the donor café after your donation, free of charge.

You can register as a donor if you:

• are between 18 and 65 years old;

• weigh 50 kg or more;

• do not have HIV or AIDS;

• are not a carrier of hepatitis B or C;

• have never had an organ or tissue transplant;

• have never injected drugs or performance-enhancing substances;

• are able to understand and speak Dutch or English without the assistance of an interpreter or translation app;

• are not pregnant at the time of donation.

• Smoking or having tattoos does not automatically exclude you.

• If you have received a blood transfusion or blood products, eligibility depends on the reason for the transfusion.

These criteria are in place to protect both you as a donor and the patients receiving blood. All donated blood is carefully tested during the medical screening and again at the time of donation. Check here to see when you can or cannot donate blood or plasma.

If your blood type is needed, you will receive an invitation to donate. Men may be invited to donate up to five times per year, and women up to three times per year. You decide whether and when to donate within a two-week period after receiving your invitation.

After donation, your blood is sent to a laboratory, where it is separated into its different components. The white blood cells (part of the immune system) are removed to reduce the risk of side effects in patients. Each component serves a specific medical purpose:

• Red blood cells are used for patients with anaemia.

• Platelets are used for patients undergoing cancer treatment or experiencing severe bleeding.

• Plasma is used in life-threatening situations, such as major blood loss, severe burns, or clotting disorders that require urgent treatment.

Any blood components that are not used directly for patients may be used for diagnostic testing, scientific research or the production of life-saving medicines. This ensures that every donation is used as effectively and responsibly as possible.

You can also watch this video on YouTube for more information.

Sanquin supplies blood cells to hospitals on a non-profit basis.Most plasma is provided to a pharmaceutical company that processes it into life-saving medicines for patients in the Netherlands. Any financial profit is reinvested in research and to improving healthcare.

Donating stem cells is allowed in most religions. The conditions are the same as the medical ones: it must not harm you and you must be healthy.

If you are unsure, contact a pastor, religious leader, or theologian.

1. Register with Stichting Matchis

2. Complete the online medical check.

3. Fill in your personal details.

4. After registering, you will receive a kit at home with cotton swabs.

5. Rub the swabs along the inside of your cheeks.

6. Return the swabs by mail following the instructions.

7. The laboratory checks your tissue type, and then you are added to the database.

8. You will only be called if there is a match.

Stichting Matchis is the only non-profit organization in the Netherlands where you can register as a stem cell donor for someone outside your family. Matchis is the only organization that holds your data.

As a registered stem cell donor, the likelihood that you will ever be asked to donate is small. Stichting Matchis will only contact you if you are identified as a match for a patient. This happens when a patient in need of stem cells shares the same tissue type as you. Your tissue type is determined through the cheek swab you submit when you register.

How stem cell donation works

• In about 90% of cases: donation through the bloodstream
  Before donation, you receive medication for several days to increase the number of stem cells in your blood. This may cause temporary flu-like symptoms or bone pain. During the procedure, a needle is placed in each arm. A machine collects the stem cells from your blood, and the remaining blood is returned to your body through the other arm.

• In some cases: donation through bone marrow
  Stem cells are collected from the pelvic bone using a needle. This procedure takes place under general anesthesia. After donation, you may feel tired for a few days and experience temporary soreness in your lower back.

The patient’s doctor determines whether stem cells are needed from the bloodstream or from the bone marrow. You may also indicate your preference. The physician at Matchis will always assess whether the chosen method is safe for you. Donation is entirely voluntary.

Did you know that your body produces approximately 350 million new blood cells every minute?

If you are between 18 and 55 years old and in good health, you can register as a stem cell donor. After the age of 55, people are no longer eligible to donate because the quality of stem cells decreases over time, which may increase risks for the patient. The best transplant outcomes are generally seen with donors between the ages of 18 and 35.

If you donate through blood, an IV line is placed in each arm. You may briefly feel the needle when it is inserted, but the donation itself is not painful. In the days leading up to the donation, you may experience temporary side effects from the medication used to stimulate the release of stem cells into your bloodstream, such as flu-like symptoms or some bone pain.

If stem cells are collected from your bone marrow, the procedure takes place in a hospital under general anesthesia. You will not feel the needle during the procedure. After you wake up, you may feel tired for a few days and experience temporary soreness or a bruised sensation in your lower back.

The chance is very small. Less than 1% of registered donors are ever asked to donate. It is therefore possible that you may never be contacted after registering.

But if you turn out to be that one match for a patient in need, you could save a life.

There are far too few donors with roots outside Western Europe. As a result, not all patients from these communities who need stem cells are able to find a suitable match.

By registering, you could be the match someone is waiting for and help save a life.

Around 90% of stem cell donations take place through the bloodstream. This is not a surgical procedure. In the days leading up to the donation, you receive medication that stimulates the release of stem cells into your bloodstream. On the day of the donation, you visit the hospital for a few hours and can return home afterwards.

If stem cells need to be collected from the bone marrow, you will spend (part of) a day in the hospital. The stem cells are taken from the pelvic bone using a needle under general anesthesia, so you do not feel the procedure. In most cases, you can go home the same day.

All expenses related to the donation are reimbursed, including compensation for time off work.

If you are contacted about a possible donation and have doubts, you are free to change your decision at any time. You can also withdraw from the donor registry whenever you choose.

All reasonable expenses related to the donation are reimbursed. This includes travel costs and, if needed, taxi transport to and from the hospital. In some cases, hotel accommodation may also be covered. If you are unable to work for a few days due to the donation, compensation is available. You do not receive payment for donating stem cells. For detailed information about reimbursements and compensation, please visit the Stichting Matchis website.

If you are employed, your salary will continue to be paid under Dutch sickness benefit regulations while you recover from any side effects related to the donation. If you are self-employed, a compensation scheme is also available. You can find more information about financial arrangements on the Stichting Matchis website.

All costs incurred during or after donation are reimbursed by Matchis. It has no effect on your own insurance or deductible (Eigen Risico).

According to most religious traditions, it is permitted to donate a kidney or part of your liver during your lifetime in order to save someone’s life. The conditions are similar to the medical requirements: the donation must not cause you harm and you must be in good health.

If you have doubts about donating, consider speaking with a pastor, religious leader, or theologian.

If you are healthy and have healthy organs, you can become a donor.
Please note: you can only donate if you are over 18, donate voluntarily and are in good health and not pregnant. Read more here.

If someone close to you needs a kidney or part of a liver, you can let them know that you are willing to donate. The treating doctors will then assess whether you are medically compatible with the recipient. This concerns living donation, not organ donation after death.

For organ donation after death, every person in the Netherlands from age 18 is registered in the Donor Register. There you indicate whether you do or do not want to be an organ and tissue donor after your death.

A family member or friend who is seriously ill may ask whether you are willing to help by donating a kidney or part of your liver. If you decide to be a donor, the hospital will carry out medical assessments to determine whether you are suitable. This means evaluating your overall health and whether you are medically compatible with the recipient.

Your family member or friend who is ill asks whether you want to help by donating a kidney or a piece of your liver. If you want to be a donor, the hospital will investigate whether you are suitable, meaning whether you are healthy and whether your organ fits the recipient. If the results are positive and you choose to continue, the necessary appointments and surgery dates will be scheduled.

Watch this video to learn more: Living-donor kidney transplantation, how does that work?

No. If you wish to donate while you are alive, you can donate a kidney or part of your liver.

After death, you may also donate other organs. Your preferences for posthumous organ and tissue donation are recorded in the Donor Register, where you can specify which organs and tissues you do or do not wish to donate. If you would like to check your current registration, you can do so using your DigiD at: https://www.donorregister.nl
If you have not recorded a choice, you are automatically registered as a donor under Dutch law.

No. You do not receive payment for donating a kidney or part of your liver. However, you are reimbursed for reasonable expenses related to the donation, including:

• Travel and parking costs for hospital visits

• Temporary household support during your recovery

• Travel and accommodation costs if you live outside the Netherlands and the patient lives in the Netherlands

• Physiotherapy or home care costs not covered by your health insurance

• Childcare or care for dependents or pets

• Loss of income due to time off work

Your health insurance covers everything. You do not pay a deductible (Eigen Risico).

You donate to someone who is ill and in need of an organ. This may be someone close to you who asks for your help. It is also possible to donate anonymously. Although it is less common to donate a kidney to a stranger, this is possible if you choose to do so. You can donate if you are healthy and your organ is suitable for a recipient. Read more here.