KFSH Jeddah sets new stem cell collection benchmark

King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Centre in Jeddah says it has developed the world’s first protocol to predict stem cell yield from donors, helping complete most collections in a single session. The hospital says the approach improves donor safety and transplant outcomes, with 100% of male donors and 94.9% of all donors finishing in one session.

Why it matters: - The protocol aims to reduce repeat stem cell collection sessions, which can increase donor risk. - Data from the U.S. National Marrow Donor Program show repeat sessions raise a donor’s likelihood of hospitalization for recovery sixfold. - The approach also seeks to speed treatment for patients waiting for stem cell transplantation.

What happened: - King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Centre in Jeddah developed and implemented a protocol that uses an algorithm to estimate expected stem cell yield from each donor. - The hospital says the protocol enabled first-session completion for 100% of male donors and 94.9% of all donors. - The protocol eliminated the need for third and fourth collection sessions. - The results were published in Blood Global Hematology, a journal of the American Society of Hematology.

The details: - The algorithm was developed over three years and tested on 138 donors. - Professor Ashraf Dada, chair of the Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine at KFSH Jeddah and the study’s principal investigator, said avoiding repeated collection sessions is both a clinical and ethical priority. - Dada said the team was able to plan the opening session with close to 92% accuracy in predicting how many cells would be collected. - The hospital says the protocol improves donor safety, supports advance planning of the collection process, and helps tailor treatment to the clinical condition and needs of each donor and recipient. - Survival after transplant reached 91.2% at 100 days, above the global average and a key marker of early recovery.

Between the lines: - The protocol points to a shift toward using data tools to make donor collection more precise and less burdensome. - The work also reinforces KFSH’s push to position itself as a specialist center for advanced medical solutions. - The hospital’s rankings and brand recognition add to the significance of the announcement, even as the core news centers on a practical clinical process change.

What’s next: - KFSH is likely to continue using the protocol as part of its transplant workflow. - The study’s publication may support broader interest in similar predictive approaches at other transplant centers. - The hospital is expected to keep building on data-driven methods for specialized care.

The bottom line: - KFSH Jeddah says it has turned stem cell collection into a safer, more predictable process, with measurable gains for donors and patients alike.