We do get 'imported' cases, and it could become a larger problem for transfusion because there are no good screening tests. Also unusual, but not entirely unknown, are cases of rare strains of HIV that can pass into the blood supply. CJD, which affects about 1 in 1 million Americans, is screened for, however, using family history information taken at blood banks. While we need to remain vigilant and caution is certainly important, we must not make well-intended decisions that have severe implications for the supply of blood. Continually eliminating apparently healthy donors for minimal theoretical safety risks is ill-advised because it jeopardizes supply.
Supplies are low across the U.S., as well as in our area.
Three weeks ago, a young woman who was bleeding in the operating room at Fairfax Hospital could not get O-negative blood from the regional supplier. Fortunately, NIH had 2 units on its shelf. NIH'ers are by now used to getting urgent emails from the NIH Blood Bank asking for donations of unusual types, and they are likely to continue. Klein reported that, nationally, red cell collection is down markedly, and that 8.6 percent of U.S. hospitals report canceling surgery for 1 or more days due to lapses in the blood supply. We also need to protect and increase our donor base and frequency.