PRIVILEGES

In Poland, bone marrow and hematopoietic stem cell transplant donors are guaranteed certain privileges by law.

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These include primarily:

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• Reimbursement of costs: Donors may apply for reimbursement of the costs of food and travel to initial tests and collection. If the donor traveled with a loved one, the cost of their travel is also refundable

• Days off: Donors are entitled to fully paid days off during initial tests and collection. A doctor from the collecting center may issue a medical certificate, and the Bone Marrow Donor Center should prepare a letter to the employer.

• Free public transport: In some Polish cities, transplant donors can use public transport free of charge.

 

Privileges under the law:

 

Donors receive an ID card and a "Transplant Donor" badge, which entitles them to use outpatient health care under the National Health Fund, e.g. medical consultation, diagnostic tests, rehabilitation.

 

The Transplantation Act (Act of July 1, 2005 on the collection, storage and transplantation of cells, tissues and organs - Journal of Laws of 2023, item 1185), regulates in detail the privileges of persons who have donated bone marrow:

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Art. 22. 

1. A donor of bone marrow or other regenerating cells and tissues is entitled to the title of Transplant Donor.
2. The badge and ID card confirming the title of Transplant Donor is issued by the medical entity that collected the marrow or other regenerating cells or tissues.
3. A transplant donor who has donated marrow or other regenerating cells and tissues more than once and an organ donor is entitled to the title of Meritorious Transplant Donor.
4. The badge and ID card confirming the title of Meritorious Transplant Donor is issued by the minister responsible for health matters at the request of the Organization and Coordination Center for Transplantation "Poltransplant".
5. Expenditures related to the issuance of ID cards and badges referred to in section 2 and 4 are covered from the state budget, part of which is administered by the minister responsible for health matters.

6. The minister responsible for health matters will determine, by way of a regulation, the ID and badge templates as well as the method and procedure for awarding the "Transplant Donor" and "Distinguished Transplant Donor" badges, along with the method of documenting the number of donations for the purposes of awarding this badge, taking into account the data collected by the Center. Organizational and Coordination Committee for Transplantation "Poltransplant" and promotion of tissue, cell and organ donation.

 

Art. 23. 

1. The Transplant Donor and the Distinguished Transplant Donor are entitled to use outpatient health care out of turn. 2. A donor of marrow or hematopoietic cells from peripheral blood and an organ donor who suffered bodily injury or health disorder as a result of the donation procedure is entitled to compensation under the provisions of the Civil Code.

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Art. 24. 

Entities undertaking activities to promote the donation of cells, tissues or organs are obliged to inform the minister responsible for health about the scope of these activities.

 

• You can use outpatient health care under the National Health Fund out of turn. That is, one that does not require 24-hour treatment, e.g. medical consultation, diagnostic tests, rehabilitation or minor procedures that do not require 24-hour stay in a medical facility.

• Health services should be provided on the day you report to the medical facility. There is no queue or registration required. If for some reason it is not possible to provide the service on the day of notification, the facility should set another date within 7 business days of notification.

 

These privileges are a form of thanks for selfless help and devoting time to saving the lives of other people.

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