Patient Eligibility for Stem Cell Treatments
Patient safety is the first and foremost concern of the ICMS and its members.
Proper informed consent should be given to, documented and signed by the patient. The consent and subsequent patient discussion should include a discussion with the patient of the risks and benefits of the procedure as well as alternatives to the procedure. To read a sample ICMS approved Informed Consent, click HERE
Stem cells may be harvested from sites containing bone marrow and other, such as the synovial fluid or tissue found in the knee, skeletal muscle, dermis of the skin, and subcutaneous fat. The specific sites of bone marrow, blood tissues, skeletal muscle, and dermis harvest must be first assessed for eligibility, including the following criteria:
- No indication of infection in the area
- The planned collection procedure should not inordinately risk the tissue being harvested or the donor site.
The physician must conduct a comprehensive assessment of the patient prior to stem cell donation. This assessment should include:
- History and physical examination specific to the problem being considered for treatment
- Assessment of general health status and ability of the patient to participate safely in the therapy
- Discussion with the patient concerning the risks and benefits of the planned procedure
Since donation of marrow or whole blood can impact blood counts, minimum blood requirements apply to donation. For a BM or BP donation, minimum requirements are as follows:
- Hematocrit of at least 40% (both genders)
- No evidence of acute or chronic infection
- Identification of disease transmission risks (such as HIV, Hepatitis, etc) by the collecting clinic
Since loss of solid tissue impacts on functionality of the donor tissue, minimum requirements apply to donation. For Solid Tissue donation, minimum requirements are as follows:
- Appropriate sample size determined by the physician based on the type of tissue harvested.
- Identification of disease transmission risks (such as HIV, Hepatitis, etc) by the collecting clinic
- Whole marrow or blood donation should not be within 6 weeks from the last draw without physician documentation supporting the safety and necessity of an earlier draw

