Challenges in Blood Donation

Blood donors, both voluntary and paid, are crucial for the supply of red cells, platelets, and plasma products in clinical medicine. However, less than 5% of the population donates, and almost half of the units come from 1% of frequent donors. Challenges include changing demographics, motivation issues, and factors affecting donor suitability such as infectious diseases, drug use, and behavioral factors.

Around 15 million units of whole blood are collected annually in the US, with about a million units of platelets gathered through apheresis. Apheresis technology is increasingly used for collecting double units of red blood cells (RBCs) and jumbo units of plasma to maximize donor resources.

The World Health Organization outlines four basic requirements for building a safe national blood transfusion system: a national legal framework, a large nonremunerated donor pool, a comprehensive testing program for transfusion-transmitted pathogens, and rational guidelines for blood use. Social contracts and legal systems are necessary for blood collection and transfusion activities.

Concerns about allergic reactions and the safety of drugs taken by donors are relevant, as certain drugs and therapeutic interventions can lead to donor exclusion for specific periods. Transfusion-related acute lung injury is another consideration in blood safety.

The aging population in the industrialized world increases the demand for blood products, with half of all transfusions going to patients over 65. The absolute number of patients in this age group is expected to double in the next 15 years.

Despite the potential for more donors, challenges exist in finding safe donors. After the 9/11 attacks, a surge in donors occurred, but many units were later deemed unnecessary and destroyed. Advances in screening and detecting infectious diseases have improved blood safety, but the availability of cellular blood products remains a challenge, given changing donor demographics and increasing demand for transfusions in an aging population.

Just 1 donation can save up to 3 lives.