The United States is facing a shortage of donated blood, the American Red Cross announced this week, as the nonprofit organization said it had “the lowest number of people donating blood in 20 years.”
“Every two seconds in our country, a person needs life-saving blood – and its availability can be the difference between life and death, however, blood is only available thanks to the generosity of those who roll up their sleeves to donate,” Dr. Pampee Young, Chief Medical Officer employee of the Red Cross, says the press release.
The Red Cross is the largest provider of donated blood in the United States, and said it experienced a “shortage of 7,000 units” in donated blood between Christmas and New Year’s.
The nonprofit said they have seen a drop in donations due to the rise in popularity of telecommuting, which has prevented people from participating in employer-sponsored blood drives.
The American Red Cross says there is a shortage of donated blood.
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On average, 29,000 units of red blood cells, 5,000 units of platelets and 6,500 units of plasma are needed daily in the United States, the Red Cross said.
“We hear all the time about really dramatic things happening in hospitals – women after childbirth who have a lot of unexpected bleeding and who might need tens or even hundreds of units of blood to survive, and then they survive because the blood is available. The same thing for people who have been in accidents or who need really complicated surgery that involves a lot of blood loss,” said Dr. Eric Gehrie, executive director of the Red Cross, according to ABC News.
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“When that blood is not available, it really reduces the ability to offer it to someone in need,” he added.
The relatively short shelf life of donated blood also contributes to the shortage. Red blood cells expire after 42 days, and platelets must be discarded if not used after five days.
Last year, the FDA eased restrictions that previously prevented members of the LGBTQ community from donating blood. However, donors must still meet eligibility requirements, which vary depending on the type of donation.
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For example, women participating in a “power red” donation—what the Red Cross calls a red blood cell donation—must be at least 5’3″ and weigh 150 lbs. Men, however, must be at least 5’1″ tall and weigh at least 130 lbs.
Certain medications may also make you ineligible for certain donations.
Those who wish to donate can make an appointment‚ or search for a nearby blood clinic, on the Red Cross website or by calling 1-800-RED-CROSS.
Categories: Trends
Source: HIS Education