Blood and Marrow Transplant Clinical Trials Network

The National Marrow Donor Program is part of the Blood and Marrow Transplant Clinical Trials Network (BMT CTN). The BMT CTN conducts large clinical trials focused on marrow and cord blood transplants.

Searching for the best treatments

The BMT CTN conducts clinical trials to find the best standard treatments for marrow and cord blood transplant patients. The goal of this research is to improve outcomes for patients.

Multi-center trials

The BMT CTN clinical trials are done at many medical centers throughout the United States. Multi-center trials can help patients because:

• Patients from all regions of the United States can be part of the trials. (The BMT CTN includes only U.S. centers; international centers do not currently take part in these trials.)
• The trials can include more patients. Trials that include many patients may have clearer results.
• More patients can be enrolled quickly. This can shorten the length of the trial so doctors can use the results sooner.
• The trials may avoid bias that a single center might bring to a trial.

Organizations working together

The BMT CTN is made up of organizations working together:

• Two divisions of the U.S. National Institutes of Health fund the BMT CTN's work: 
• • National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov)
  • National Cancer Institute (http://www.nci.nih.gov)
• The Data Coordinating Center keeps the BMT CTN's work and communication going smoothly. Three organizations form the Data Coordinating Center: 
• • Center for International Bone Marrow Transplant Registry (http://www.cibmtr.org)
  • National Marrow Donor Program
  • EMMES Corporation (http://spitfire.emmes.com/
    study/www_emmes_com/index.html)
• Sixteen core clinical medical centers conduct the trials. (Other centers also participate in many of the trials.)

All of these organizations work together to plan and conduct the research studies.

You can learn more about the Blood and Marrow Transplant Clinical Trials Network at the BMT CTN Web site, www.bmtctn.net.