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As an analysis of foreign literature on donation has shown, the global market for therapy with drugs from human plasma is growing, which leads to the need for large volumes. With significant geographic imbalances in the global plasma supply and the dependence of most countries on plasma supplies from the United States, the most vulnerable are low- and middle-income countries, where the challenge of meeting the demand for plasma products requires improvements to regional plasma donation systems. An effective tool for the development of plasma collection services is compliance with the standards of plasma donation services, the development of voluntary free plasma donation, and the optimization of donor recruitment and retention processes.

Background and Objectives: Blood services manage the increasingly tight balance between the supply and demand of blood products, and their role in health research is expanding. This review explores the themes that may define the future of blood banking., Materials and Methods: We reviewed the PubMed database for articles on emerging/new blood-derived products and the utilization of blood donors in health research., Results: In high-income countries (HICs), blood services may consider offering these products: whole blood, cold-stored platelets, synthetic blood components, convalescent plasma, lyophilized plasma and cryopreserved/lyophilized platelets. Many low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) aim to establish a pool of volunteer, non-remunerated blood donors and wean themselves off family replacement donors; and many HICs are relaxing the deferral criteria targeting racial and sexual minorities. Blood services in HICs could achieve plasma self-sufficiency by building plasma-dedicated centres, in collaboration with the private sector. Lastly, blood services should expand their involvement in health research by establishing donor cohorts, conducting serosurveys, studying non-infectious diseases and participating in clinical trials., Conclusion: This article provides a vision of the future for blood services. The introduction of some of these changes will be slower in LMICs, where addressing key operational challenges will likely be prioritized., (© 2024 International Society of Blood Transfusion.)

The supply of blood components and products in sufficient quantities is key to any effective health care system. This report describes the challenges faced by the English blood service, NHS Blood and Transplant (NHSBT), towards the end of the COVID-19 pandemic, which in October 2022 led to an Amber Alert being declared to hospitals indicating an impending blood shortage. The impact on the hospital transfusion services and clinical users is explained. The actions taken by NHSBT to mitigate the blood supply challenges and ensure equity of transfusion support for hospitals in England including revisions to the national blood shortage plans are described. This report focuses on the collaboration and communication between NHSBT, NHS England (NHSE), Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC), National Blood Transfusion Committee (NBTC), National Transfusion Laboratory Managers Advisory Group for NBTC (NTLM), National Transfusion Practitioners Network, the medical Royal Colleges and clinical colleagues across the NHS., (© 2024 The Authors. British Journal of Haematology published by British Society for Haematology and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Annually, different regions of the world are affected by natural disasters such as floods and earthquakes, resulting in significant loss of lives and financial resources. These events necessitate rescue operations, including the provision and distribution of relief items like food and clothing. One of the most critical challenges in such crises is meeting the blood requirement, as an efficient and reliable blood supply chain is indispensable. The perishable nature of blood precludes the establishment of a reserve stock, making it essential to minimize shortages through effective approaches and designs. In this study, we develop a mathematical programming model to optimize supply chains in post-crisis scenarios using multiple objectives. Presented model allocates blood to various demand facilities based on their quantity and location, considering potential situations. We employ real data from a case study in Iran and a robust optimization approach to address the issue. The study identifies blood donation centers and medical facilities, as well as the number and locations of new facilities needed. We also conduct scenario analysis to enhance the realism of presented approach. Presented research demonstrates that with proper management, crises of this nature can be handled with minimal expense and deficiency., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Incentives for blood donors are a much-debated strategy intended to ensure a sufficient supply of blood. Yet, there is a fundamental lack of knowledge about which incentives are offered by different blood collectors. We provide a comprehensive description of incentive policies for whole blood donors across 63 countries and 50 states of the United States. We collected data on incentive policies by conducting 2 surveys among representatives of blood collection establishments. Additionally, we integrated incentive data from an existing study and the World Health Organization (WHO). Lastly, we performed a web content analysis of blood collector websites and news releases to extend incentive data for the United States as well as underrepresented regions. We present descriptive analyses illustrating the type and value of incentives and their geographical distribution around the globe. Approximately half of the countries in our sample employ financial incentives, which include cash and tax benefits, but also less conventional incentives, such as healthcare supplements and raffles. Time off work is also commonly offered to blood donors and varies across blood collection establishments in duration and whether it is granted to all donors or only to those whose employer allows it. There is a geographical clustering of incentives, such that neighboring countries are more likely to employ similar incentives. This study provides insights into the strategies used for incentivizing blood donation and highlights the global diversity of incentive policies for whole blood donors. In stark contrast to WHO guidelines, half of the countries surveyed employ some kind of high-value incentive for blood donors. More realistic guidelines that are adapted to the local cultural and institutional context may be needed to maintain an adequate blood supply., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest Caroline Graf, Eva-Maria Merz, Krystal Oteng-Attakora and Ralph Vassallo declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article. Eamonn Ferguson has been working as a contracted scientific advisor to the EU Joint Research Centre (JRC); EU Policy Lab: Foresight, Design & Behavioural Insights (Brussels), on a review of motivation and incentives for blood donation in the EU, which has included a collation of the types of incentives and rewards offered by the 27 EU member states for blood donation. The data in this paper pertaining to the EU member states was collected independently by EMM and CG and no data gathered as part of the EU review has been used in this paper., (Copyright © 2023 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: Plasma contains many important proteins of therapeutic interest including albumin, clotting factors, and antibodies. Source plasma (SP) is in great demand particularly due to a shortage of immunoglobulin. To better understand how to increase supply, we examined SP donor deferrals for the previous 3 years., Study Design: This is a description of donor deferrals at 255 plasma donation centers in the United States for April 1, 2017 to March 31, 2020., Results: A total of 4 587 923 events were evaluated for the 3-year period 2017-2020. There were 873 227 deferrals analyzed for 2017-2018, 1 765 582 in 2018-2019, and 1 949 114 for 2019-2020. The most common deferral each year was for unacceptable blood pressure (BP) or pulse which comprised 27.9%, 28.2%, and 28.3% of deferrals in 2017-2018, 2018-2019, and 2019-2020, respectively. The second most common cause of deferral was for unacceptable hematocrit which comprised 14.1% of deferrals in 2017-2018, and 16.0% in 2018-2019 and 2019-2020. The majority of these deferred donors had low hematocrits and were predominately (~80%) female. Deferral for unacceptable total protein comprised a smaller percentage (~4%) of deferrals., Discussion: Most donor deferrals were due to unacceptable screening results, particularly high BP, elevated pulse, low protein, and low hematocrit. Although rates of deferrals in other categories have been slightly increasing over time, they comprise a small percentage. Donor education regarding healthy lifestyle choices may improve overall donor health, decrease deferrals, and increase SP supply., (© 2021 CSL Plasma. Journal of Clinical Apheresis published by Wiley Periodicals LLC.)

Background/case Studies: The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic disrupted the global blood supply. Low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) already experienced blood supply deficits that preceded the pandemic. We sought to characterize the challenges experienced during the pandemic, and adaptations, such as COVID-19 convalescent plasma (CCP)., Study Design/methods: A cross-sectional survey explored blood availability, challenges, and adaptations. The survey contained 31 questions, e-mailed in English, French, or Spanish, to selected LMIC blood transfusion practitioners. Data acquisition occurred between October 28 and December 28, 2020. A mixed methods analysis followed., Results/findings: A total of 31 responses from 111 invitations represented 26 LMIC countries. Languages included English (22, 71%), Spanish (7, 22.6%), and French (2, 6.4%). Most respondents (29/31, 93.5%) collected blood; 58% also transfused blood (18/31). The supply of blood came from hospital-based blood donations (61%, 11/18); blood suppliers (17%, 3/18); and both sources (22%, 4/18). Collectively, 77.4% (24/31) of respondents experienced a decline in blood availability, ranging from 10% to 50%. Contributing factors included public fear of COVID-19 (21/24); stay-at-home measures (18/24); logistics (14/24); and canceled blood drives (16/24). Adaptations included increased collaboration within and between institutions (17/27), donor eligibility changes (21/31); social media or phone promotion (22/39); and replacement donation (3/27). Fifteen of 31 responses reported CCP donation (48.4%); CCP transfusion occurred in 6 (19.4%). The primary barrier was engaging recovered patients for donation (7/15)., Conclusion: Our survey describes challenges experienced by LMIC blood systems during the COVID-19 pandemic. While the decline in blood supplies was severe, adaptive measures included collaboration, outreach, and CCP programs., (© 2022 AABB.)

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic has brought tremendous challenges to the United States blood supply. Decreased collections have caused blood product shortages. The number of hospital-based donor centers (HBDCs) has decreased in the past decades, but they provide important support to their hospital systems., Materials/methods: We identified 79 active HBDCs through an information request to the FDA. These centers were invited to participate in a survey about their activities, blood product collections, and perceived value., Results: Thirty-six centers responded (46% response rate). The centers represented a wide range of states and geographic settings. Whole blood collection was most common, but some respondents also prepared specialized products such as COVID-19 convalescent plasma and pathogen-reduced platelets. Positive impacts of HBDCs included inventory availability, cost-effectiveness/savings, community outreach, supporting special patient populations, and collecting specialty products. All respondents anticipate at least stable operations, if not growth, in the future., Conclusion: HBDCs continue to be valuable assets in addressing emerging patient transfusion needs. Their unique offerings are tailored to the populations their hospitals support, and demonstrate the value in having the collection infrastructure in place to rapidly respond to critical shortages. This survey provides benchmark data about a broad group of HBDCs including products prepared, inventory self-sufficiency levels, and reasons for positive impact., (© 2021 AABB.)

Background: When the COVID-19 epidemic occurred for the first time in December 2019, the governments worldwide took some restriction measures for slowing the spread of novel coronavirus. Eventually, there was a considerable decrease in volunteer blood donations. Regular transfusions and follow-up of patients with thalassemia major (TM) should be maintained during this period. It is possible that the treatment of the patients with TM may hinder due to the difficulty of reaching the treatment center and the difficulty of blood supply. Thus, in this study, we aimed to investigate whether there were any differences in the follow-up and treatment of the patients with TM during the outbreak., Materials and Methods: Sixty-one patients with TM who were followed up in our center without COVID-19 contact history and symptoms were included in this study. The demographic features and red blood cell volume per kilogram they received, pretransfusion hemoglobin, serum ferritin (SF) level, biochemical parameters, and transfusion interval were recorded. The difference between the arithmetic mean of the data before and during the pandemic was evaluated., Results: In this study, 61 patients with TM (32 males/29 females, mean age 13.9±6.8 y) were evaluated. The mean pretransfusion hemoglobin value was 9.14±0.77 g/dL and 8.87± 0.80 g/dL before and during the pandemic, respectively (P=0.023). There was no difference between before and during the pandemic concerning transfusion interval and transfusion volume. However, SF levels increased above 1000 ng/mL in 16.6% of patients., Conclusion: Although blood donation decreased significantly during the pandemic, it was observed in this study that the blood needs of patients with TM could be provided. The results of the SF level showed that the management of chelation therapy should be more meticulous. However, we should be ready for the challenges in the transfusion practice of patients with TM due to fluctuations in the COVID-19 pandemic., Competing Interests: The authors declare no conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2020 Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: This study aimed to promote competence, autonomy, and relatedness among first-time whole blood donors to enhance intrinsic motivation and increase retention., Study Design and Methods: Using a full factorial design, first-time donors (N = 2002) were randomly assigned to a no-treatment control condition or to one of seven intervention conditions designed to promote donation competence, autonomy, relatedness, a combination of two (e.g., competence and autonomy), or all three constructs. Participants completed donor motivation measures before the intervention and 6 weeks later, and subsequent donation attempts were assessed for 1 year., Results: There was no significant group difference in the frequency of donation attempts or in the number of days to return. Significant effects of group were observed for 10 of the 12 motivation measures, although follow-up analyses revealed significant differences from the control group were restricted to interventions that included an autonomy component. Path analyses confirmed direct associations between interventions involving autonomy and donor motivation, and indirect mediation of donation attempts via stronger donation intentions and lower donation anxiety., Conclusion: Among young, first-time, whole blood donors, brief interventions that include support for donor autonomy were associated with direct effects on donor motivation and indirect, but small, effects on subsequent donation behavior., (© 2021 AABB.)

Introduction: Supplemental data from the 2019 National Blood Collection and Utilization Survey (NBCUS) are presented and include findings on donor characteristics, autologous and directed donations and transfusions, platelets (PLTs), plasma and granulocyte transfusions, pediatric transfusions, transfusion-associated adverse events, cost of blood units, hospital policies and practices, and implementation of blood safety measures, including pathogen reduction technology (PRT)., Methods: National estimates were produced using weighting and imputation methods for a number of donors, donations, donor deferrals, autologous and directed donations and transfusions, PLT and plasma collections and transfusions, a number of crossmatch procedures, a number of units irradiated and leukoreduced, pediatric transfusions, and transfusion-associated adverse events., Results: Between 2017 and 2019, there was a slight decrease in successful donations by 1.1%. Donations by persons aged 16-18 decreased by 10.1% while donations among donors >65 years increased by 10.5%. From 2017 to 2019, the median price paid for blood components by hospitals for leukoreduced red blood cell units, leukoreduced apheresis PLT units, and for fresh frozen plasma units continued to decrease. The rate of life-threatening transfusion-related adverse reactions continued to decrease. Most whole blood/red blood cell units (97%) and PLT units (97%) were leukoreduced., Conclusion: Blood donations decreased between 2017 and 2019. Donations from younger donors continued to decline while donations among older donors have steadily increased. Prices paid for blood products by hospitals decreased. Implementation of PRT among blood centers and hospitals is slowly expanding., (Published 2021. This article is a U.S. Government work and is in the public domain in the USA.)

Background: A survey of US hospitals was conducted to increase our understanding of the current state of platelet (PLT) practice and supply. The survey captures information on transfusion practice and inventory management, including stock levels, outdate rates, ability to return or transfer PLTs, and low dose PLTs. Notably, the survey also elucidates PLT availability challenges and impact to patient care., Study Design and Methods: A 27 question online survey was distributed directly to over 995 US hospitals and indirectly through blood centers to many more between September 27 and October 25, 2019. Descriptive statistics were used for respondent characteristics. Bivariate analysis was performed and correlation coefficients, chi square tests, and p values determined statistical significance of relationships between variables., Results: Four hundred and eighty-one hospitals completed the survey of which 21.6%, 53.2%, and 25.2% were characterized as small, medium, and large hospitals, respectively. Some key observations from this survey include: (1) there is an opportunity for greater adherence to evidence-based guidelines; (2) higher outdate rates occur in hospitals stocking less than five PLTs and the ability to return or transfer PLTs lowers outdates; (3) use of low dose apheresis PLTs varies; and (4) decreased PLT availability is commonly reported, especially in hospitals with high usage, and can lead to delays in transfusions or surgeries., Conclusion: This survey represents a comprehensive national assessment of inventory management practices and PLT availability challenges in US hospitals. Findings from this survey can be used to guide further research, help shape future guidance for industry, and assist with policy decisions., (© 2021 AABB.)

Background and Objectives: The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) affected millions of people worldwide and caused disruptions at the global level including in healthcare provision. Countries of the WHO African region have put in place measures for the COVID-19 pandemic containment that may adversely affect blood system activities and subsequently reduce the supply and demand of blood and blood components. This study aims to assess the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on blood supply and demand in the WHO African Region and propose measures to address the challenges faced by countries., Materials and Methods: A survey questionnaire was sent to all 47 countries in the WHO African Region to collect information on blood supply and demand for the first 5 months of 2019 and 2020, respectively, and on COVID-19 Convalescent Plasma therapy in September 2020., Results: Thirty-seven countries provided responses. The total number of blood donations dropped in 32 countries while it increased in five countries. The proportion of blood drives also decreased in 21 countries and increased in nine countries. The blood requested and issued for transfusion decreased for blood demand and for blood issued for transfusion in 30 countries. Ten countries reported some activities of convalescent plasma. However, very few units of this product collected have been transfused to COVID-19 patients., Conclusion: The COVID-19 pandemic has led to a reduction of blood related activities in the region, including the supply and demand. Countries preparedness plans for health emergencies need more emphasis to maintaining blood stock., (© 2021 International Society of Blood Transfusion.)

Regular donation of whole blood may lead to iron deficiency. In this study, we aimed to assess the impact of frequent whole blood donation on hematological parameters. Whole blood donors were enrolled from four blood banks located in Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates (UAE), Libya and Oman, between 2016 and 2017. SPSS version 21.0 was used to generate descriptive and inferential statistics. A total number of 3096 blood donors were screened (males 93.8 %, females; 6.2 %), with a mean donor age of 35.29 ± 9.31 years. For male blood donors, the majority (1073) had 1-3 previous donations. Increased frequency of donations was significantly associated with increases in age and weight, decreases in Hemoglobin (Hb) and ferritin measures, and increases in Red Blood Cells (RBC) counts. A General Linear Model (GLM) adjusted for age and weight indicated negative impacts on White Blood Cells (WBC) counts and ferritin. A weak correlation between the Hb and ferritin levels was observed (r = 0.160, P > 0.001). For female donors, the majority (63 out of 114) were first time donors. Increased frequency of donations was significantly associated with an increase in age and a decrease in HCT readings. A GLM adjusted for age and weight indicated a negative impact on ferritin. A strong correlation was observed between the Hb and ferritin levels for the most frequent female donors (r = 0.636, P > 0.001). In conclusion, regular whole blood donation impacts hematological parameters in particular the levels of ferritin in the serum., (Copyright © 2021 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Background: Traditionally, during crises the number of new blood donors increases. However, the current coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic created additional barriers to donate due to governmental prevention measures and increased personal health risks. In this report, we examined how the pandemic affected new donor registrations in the Netherlands, especially among groups with higher risk profiles for severe COVID-19. Additionally, we explored the role of media for blood donation and new donor registrations., Study Design and Methods: We analyzed new donor registrations and attention for blood donation in newspapers and on social media from January until May 2020, in comparison to the same period in 2017 to 2019., Results: After the introduction of nationwide prevention measures, several peaks in new donor registrations occurred, which coincided with peaks in media attention. Interestingly, people with a higher risk profile for COVID-19 (e.g., due to age or region of residence) were overrepresented among new registrants., Discussion: In sum, the first peak of the current pandemic has led to increased new blood donor registrations, despite the associated increased health risks. Time and future studies will have to tell whether these new donors are one-off 'pandemic' donors or if they will become regular, loyal donors., (© 2021 The Authors. Transfusion published by Wiley Periodicals LLC. on behalf of AABB.)

Background: One of the effects of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic is the risk of shortages in Blood Centres., Objectives: To verify the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the blood donor's attendance and production of blood components in Fundação Hemominas, a Brazilian public institution was formed by several Blood Centres., Methods: A cross-sectional study was carried out from January to June 2020. Data collected were compared to a historical series from 2016 to 2019., Results: The study showed a reduction in the attendance of blood donors, whole blood collections and blood component production from March 2020, when the first case of COVID-19 was notified in Minas Gerais, Brazil. The results evidenced that Hemominas Blood Centres were affected in a very distinct way by the pandemic with a general mean reduction around 17% in attendance of blood donors and in production of blood components in the period of March to June. On the other hand, the return of blood donors rate increased., Conclusion: The reduction in blood donation during the pandemic period was significant, despite the measures adopted. Still, the recruitment of return donors appears to be an important measure to be considered to decrease the pandemic's effect on blood stocks., (© 2020 British Blood Transfusion Society.)

Background: COVID 19 is an acute respiratory disease caused by infection by the virus SARS-COV-2 and has been declared as a pandemic whose specific treatment is still not established. One of the options in the treatment is Convalescent plasma (CP) therapy when there is presence of required amount of neutralizing antibodies in the plasma of recovered COVID patients. Our objective was to analyze the challenges and the constraints encountered in motivation of COVID 19 recovered persons to come for the screening procedures and to convince the selected persons to come for Plasma donation voluntarily., Material & Methods: The present retrospective observational study was conducted for a period of five and half months. Out of 1515 number of persons contacted telephonically for Plasma donation, 1291 persons came for screening of whom 1028 persons were eligible for donation, 263 cases were deferred and 966 persons finally donated., Results: Maximum number of acceptance cases were from males-(98.7%). Of the accepted cases, (41.73%) were from the 18-30 years' age group. 33.94% were from blood group 'O' Rh D positive giving maximum contribution from any blood group. 38.3% of the accepted cases had resolution of all COVID symptoms within time period of 28-40 days. Maximum number of accepted individuals (39.75%) had suffered from multiple symptoms followed by 39.02% of asymptomatic persons. Highest number of Plasma donation was contributed by Odisha Government Police personnel (51.56%)., Discussion: In this global ongoing pandemic, the "Fear Factor of contracting the disease" has acted as a major challenge in motivating and convincing a COVID recovered patient for plasma donation. The challenge before the medical professionals was to motivate, educate and convince the potential donors and the society about the likely benefits of convalescent plasma. This could be finally overcome with the help of positive orientation through social and conventional media as well as mass appeal from government side on the benefits of plasma therapy in saving lives in the present pandemic., (Copyright © 2021 Société française de transfusion sanguine (SFTS). Published by Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.)

The National Blood Transfusion Services under the aegis of the ministry of health and family welfare, India has recently issued guidelines regarding the blood donor selection criteria and the processing of blood. Care has been taken to make the blood transfusions safer. However, COVID-19 has disrupted the organization of the voluntary blood donation drives, whole blood donations [WBD] and restricted the donors' movement to the blood transfusion centres all across the world. While sickness and the need for transfusions are very much in place, the gap of demand against blood collection has widened. Additionally, with the monsoon season at hand, and the categorical challenges of a dengue outbreak, the subsequent need for blood components especially the platelet concentrates is going to rise. Some of the criteria laid for deferring a blood donor from his or her WBD need a categorical revision, considering these unprecedented times. We, therefore, critically analyzed the blood donor selection criteria and hereby, suggest an updating regarding the pre-donation haemoglobin, sexually transmitted diseases, lactation, pregnancy and many such subheadings. We also suggest collecting smaller blood volumes in the blood bags for the optimal benefit of the recipients both for now and also as a measure of pandemic preparedness for future use., (Copyright © 2021 Société française de transfusion sanguine (SFTS). Published by Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.)

Introduction: Numerous concerns regarding maintenance of blood inventory have been raised after SARS-CoV-2 pandemic outbreak. These concerns were based on the experience of blood centres in previous pandemics where shortage of blood components was reported. The present study had tried to understand the impact of SARS-CoV-2 pandemic on blood collection and demand as well as the impact of disaster planning in maintaining an adequate inventory., Methods: Data related to blood supply and demand were collected retrospectively using blood bank management software for pre-COVID-19 and COVID-19 time period and compared. Strategies adopted and effects of changes in existing disaster plans to maintain an adequate inventory were studied., Results: A drastic fall in the red cell inventory was observed as compared to pre-COVID-19 time period was observed due to disproportionate decrease in blood collection (1/6 to 1/9 of the previous collection) and demand (1/2 of the previous demand). The buffer stock fell gradually over a period of three weeks with cancellation of planned blood donation drives. A buffer stock equivalent to 2-week inventory led to adequate inventory in the initial lockdown periods. Similar fall was observed in the platelet inventory with reduction in the blood collection but almost a proportionate reduction in the platelet demand led to adequate inventory. No increase in wastage was observed for both red cells and platelets during this period., Discussion: A buffer stock of blood and blood components, strict adherence to the transfusion triggers, good coordination with the clinical staff and a prospective review of blood transfusion requests to ensure rational blood transfusion were some of the steps which helped us to successfully maintain transfusion requirements in the initial phases of the COVID-19 pandemic. Use of first-in-first-out policy prevented any wastage due to outdating of blood., (© 2020 International Society of Blood Transfusion.)

COVID-19 pandemic has imposed worldwide challenge and has significantly affected transfusion medicine. Shortage in blood products along with concerns regarding the safety of blood products have emerged. Measures to overcome these challenges have been implemented in order to decrease the demand on blood products and to encourage blood donations while taking full precautions to minimize risk of COVID-19 transmission mainly at blood banks and medical centers. Several countries have been successful in facing these new challenges. In addition, the role of plasma therapy in the treatment of COVID-19 patients, especially in severe cases, has been proposed and current studies are being conducted to determine its efficacy. Other therapeutic options are currently being explored. So far, the use of convalescent plasma is considered a promising rescue treatment to be looked at.

Competing Interests: Competing interests: The authors declare no conflicts of interest, and have completed the ICMJE Unified Competing Interest form (available upon request from the corresponding author).

Background: To prevent (negative consequences of) temporary deferral due to low hemoglobin, the Dutch national blood service Sanquin introduced a ferritin monitoring policy in 2017. Ferritin is measured after the donation (as opposed to before donation for hemoglobin), and low ferritin levels lead to deferral of 6 (ferritin 15-30 ng/mL) or 12 months (ferritin <15 ng/mL). We explored the consequences of this policy on donor behavior and availability., Study Design and Methods: We included all Dutch whole blood donors who made a donation (attempt) between 13 November and 31 December 2017. At that point, the ferritin monitoring policy was randomly implemented in 8 of 29 regional clusters of collection centers. We extracted information from Sanquin's donor database about donors' deferrals, subsequent donation attempts, and donation cessation (up to 31 December 2019). Donors deferred for low ferritin were compared to those deferred for low hemoglobin or other reasons, as well as to donors who were not deferred., Results: A total of 55 644 donors were included (11% deferred). For donor behavior, we found that donors deferred for low ferritin less often unsubscribed and switched to other donation types, yet also made fewer donations in the follow-up period. For availability, we found they were less often deferred, yet they were unavailable to donate for a longer period., Conclusion: Results suggest that the implementation of a ferritin monitoring policy may lead to a decrease in donor availability and reduced donations. However, the policy is successful in retaining more donors and reducing low hemoglobin deferrals., (© 2020 The Authors. Transfusion published by Wiley Periodicals LLC. on behalf of AABB.)

Background: Umbilical cord blood (UCB) donation is becoming inefficient and we recently proposed the estimated fetal weight percentile (EFWp) ≥60th as a predictor for a prenatal selection of donors. The aim of this study is to prospectively validate this and to identify new potential prenatal predictive parameters., Study Design and Methods: Prospective cohort study of low-risk pregnancies undergoing third trimester ultrasound, whose UCB was collected at delivery (2016-2018) and compared with a historical cohort (2013-2016, N = 869). Several ultrasound parameters (EFWp, amniotic fluid, Doppler evaluation, placental thickness) were assessed ultrasound and perinatal data were collected. The association with standard of high quality of UCB was assessed by logistic regression analysis., Results: Among 297 cases, 161 (54%) were selected according to the EFWp ≥60th for UCB units' collection. Cellular criteria for banking was achieved in 27 cases (16.8%), with an average increase of 1.7 times compared to the historical cohort (9.8%, P = .009). Selecting donors according to the 60th EFWp resulted in a higher probability of collecting clinical suitable UCB (P = .025). Among prenatal and perinatal parameters, EFWp, amniotic fluid, umbilical vein (UV) velocity, newborn weight and percentile and placental weight were significantly associated with a higher cellular content. At logistic regression analysis, significant contributors of UCB collection, were EFWp at 37-38 weeks ultrasound (OR 1.04; 95% CI: 1-1.08; P = .042) and UV velocity (OR 1.14; 95% CI: 1-1.29; P = .037)., Conclusion: The evaluation of the EFWp equal or above 60 and the increased UV velocity can result in higher efficiency of public UCB donation programs., (© 2020 AABB.)

Background: Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has spurred a global health crisis. The safety and supply of blood during this pandemic has been a concern of blood banks and transfusion services as it is expected to adversely affect blood system activities. We aim to assess the situation in the Eastern Mediterranean Region (EMR) during the first months of the pandemic., Materials and Methods: A survey was designed to address blood supply, transfusion demand, and donor management during the coronavirus disease-19 (COVID-19) pandemic. Medical directors of different blood banks were invited to participate., Results: A total of 16 centers participated with representation from 15/19 countries in the region. In total, 75% were from national blood banks. Most centres had a decrease in the blood supply, ranging from 26-50%. Representatives from 14 countries (93.3%) believed that public fear has contributed to a decrease in donations. Most centres (n=12, 75%) had a reduction in transfusion demand, while those who did not, reported heavy involvement in treating patients with underlying haemoglobinopathies and haematological malignancies. Half of the centres activated their contingency plans. Four centres had to alter the blood donor eligibility criteria to meet demands. All centres implemented donor deferral criteria in relation to SARS-CoV-2, but were variable in measures to mitigate the risk of donor and staff exposure., Conclusion: Blood services in the region faced variable degrees of blood shortages. We summarize lessons learnt during this pandemic for the blood banks to consider to plan, assess, and respond proportionately to future similar pandemics., (Copyright © 2020 Société française de transfusion sanguine (SFTS). Published by Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.)

Background: Ensuring steady stream of safe blood is the ultimate goal of blood transfusion practice. The current COVID-19 pandemic has affected almost every part of life and economy. Consequently, this study sets off to assess the effect of the pandemic on blood supply and blood transfusion in the University of Calabar Teaching Hospital., Methods: Data from the Donor Clinic and Blood Group Serology Unit of the University of Calabar Teaching Hospital were retrospectively extracted to evaluate supply and use of blood before and during COVID-19 pandemic., Result: A total of 1638 donors were recorded within the study period. Age range 15-29 and 30-44 years constituted majority of the subjects (58.9% and 33.4%, respectively). The donor pool were male-dominated. Commercial donors (61.7%) and family replacement donors (30.6%) constituted majority of the donor pool. Most of the donor pool were students (37.1%), public servants (22.8%) and artisans (18.6%). A concomitant decrease of 26.1% and 18.9% were recorded in blood donation and request during the COVID-19 pandemic., Conclusion: Blood supply was not significantly affected in our study center as both requests and donations decreased. Consideration for improving family replacement donation was advised., (Copyright © 2020 Société française de transfusion sanguine (SFTS). Published by Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.)

Objectives: With the advent of COVID-19 in Pakistan, the already fragmented blood transfusion services (BTS) received a severe blow, putting the lives of transfusion-dependent thalassemia children on stake. This study aimed to assess the impact of the COVID-19 on blood transfusion therapy (BTT) of thalassemia patients and suggest ways to ensure safe and reliable blood supplies amid such health crises., Material and Methods: A retrospective, cross-sectional study was conducted from October 2019 (before COVID-19) to July 2020 (during COVID-19) based on the data provided by a thalassemia center, named Help International Welfare Trust, Karachi, Pakistan. SPSS version 24.0 was used for the data analysis. Data were described in the form of means and percentages., Results: There was a significant reduction in the consumption of PRBCs bags after the emergence of COVID-19 (P=0.002). Moreover, the number of thalassemia patients receiving BTT was dropped by 10.56% during the pandemic. There was a strong negative correlation observed between the rising cases of COVID-19 in Pakistan and the number of patients missing their therapy sessions (r=-0.914, P=0.030). A considerable decline in the reserves of all Rhesus-negative blood groups amid the COVID-19 outbreak was also observed., Conclusion: The COVID-19 pandemic adversely affected the already suboptimal care catered to thalassemia patients in Karachi, Pakistan. The fear of the virus contraction coupled with the lockdown and restricted mobility has disrupted the entire transfusion chain from donor to the recipient. Collaborated efforts by the government and healthcare authorities are essential to ensure sufficient blood for thalassemia patients amid the pandemic., (Copyright © 2020 Société française de transfusion sanguine (SFTS). Published by Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.)

Convalescent plasma is an old treatment for a new disease. The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic caused the analysis of convalescent plasma to reemerge as a possible treatment. First, a systematic review summarizes the available research examining the use of convalescent plasma for the treatment of patients with COVID-19. Second, we describe our experience in establishing a single-center convalescent plasma donation program., (Copyright 2021 by the Missouri State Medical Association.)

Background: The availability of a safe blood supply is a key component of transfusion medicine. A decade of decreased blood use, decreased payment for products, and a dwindling donor base have placed the sustainability of the US blood supply at risk., Study Design and Methods: A literature review was performed for blood center (BC) and hospital disaster management, chronically transfusion-dependent diseases, and appropriate use of group O-negative red blood cells (RBCs), and the Choosing Wisely campaign. The aim was to identify current practice and to make recommendations for BC and hospital actions., Results: While BCs are better prepared to handle disasters than after the 9/11 attacks, messaging to the public remains difficult, as donors often do not realize that blood transfused during a disaster was likely collected before the event. BCs and transfusion services should participate in drafting disaster response plans. Hospitals should maintain inventories adequate for patients in the event supply is disrupted. Providing specialty products for transfusion-dependent patients can strain collections, lead to increased use of group O RBCs, and create logistical inventory challenges for hospitals. The AABB Choosing Wisely initiative addresses overuse of blood components to optimally use this precious resource. Group O-negative RBCs should be transfused only to patients who truly need them., Conclusions: Collecting and maintaining a blood supply robust enough to handle disasters and transfusion-dependent patients in need of specialty products is challenging. Collaboration of all parties should help to optimize resources, ensure appropriate collections, improve patient care, and ultimately result in a robust, sustainable blood supply., (© 2020 AABB.)

Objective: To describe the impact of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic on the frequency of blood donation (BD) in a Latin American hospital and how the social isolation policy implemented during the pandemic jeopardizes the quality of postpartum hemorrhage (PPH) care due to shortages at blood banks (BB)., Methods: A retrospective, descriptive study was conducted, lasting for 31 months, including the start of the pandemic. Frequency of BD and the use of obstetric emergency services was observed., Results: A direct relationship was observed between the pandemic and a decrease in BD. Although emergency obstetric visits decreased, the frequency of deliveries and cases of PPH remained unchanged. After applying strategies to promote voluntary BD, a very slight increase was observed in the frequency of BD, with a negative indicator persisting between donation and blood demand., Conclusion: The SARS-CoV-2 pandemic has led to shortages at BBs. In this context, typical measures to encourage an altruistic attitude toward BD have not had a significant impact. As causes of PPH continue, quality of care may be affected by the current situation at BBs. Governments and institutions must implement new strategies to motivate BD., (© 2020 International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics.)

SARS-CoV-2 (also known as COVID-19) has been an unprecedented challenge in many parts of the medical field with blood banking being no exception. COVID-19 has had a distinctly negative effect on our blood collection nationwide forcing blood banks, blood centers, and the US government to adopt new policies to adapt to a decreased blood supply as well as to protect our donors from COVID-19. These policies can be seen distinctly in patient blood management and blood bank operations. We are also faced with developing policies and procedures for a nontraditional therapy, convalescent plasma; its efficacy and safety is still not completely elucidated as of yet., Competing Interests: Disclosure Dr. Majed A. Refaai has received consulting fees and/or research funding from CSL Behring, Octapharma, Bayer, Instrumentation Laboratory, and iLine microsystems and has received speaking fees from CSL Behring.The other Authors have nothing to disclose., (Copyright © 2020 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: This report evaluates hospital blood use trends during the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) pandemic, and identifies factors associated with the need for transfusion and risk of death in patients with coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19)., Methods: Overall hospital blood use and medical records of adult patients with COVID-19 were extracted for two institutions. Multivariate logistic regression models were conducted to estimate associations between the outcomes transfusion and mortality and patient factors., Results: Daily blood use decreased compared to pre-COVID-19 levels; the effect was more significant for platelets (29% and 34%) compared to red blood cells (25% and 20%) at the two institutions, respectively. Surgical and oncologic services had a decrease in average daily use of platelets of 52% and 30%, and red blood cells of 39% and 25%, respectively. A total of 128 patients with COVID-19 were hospitalized, and 13 (10%) received at least one transfusion due to anemia secondary to chronic illness (n = 7), recent surgery (n = 3), and extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (n = 3). Lower baseline platelet count and admission to the intensive care unit were associated with increased risk of transfusion. The blood group distribution in patients with COVID-19 was 37% group O, 40% group A, 18% group B, and 5% group AB. Non-type O was not associated with increased risk of mortality., Conclusion: The response to the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic included changes in routine hospital operations that allowed for the provision of a sufficient level of care for patients with and without COVID-19. Although blood type may play a role in COVID-19 susceptibility, it did not seem to be associated with patient mortality., (© 2020 AABB.)

Background: Arkansas is a rural state of 3 million people. It is ranked fifth for poverty nationally. The first case of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in Arkansas occurred on 11 March 2020. Since then, approximately 8% of all Arkansans have tested positive. Given the resource limitations of Arkansas, COVID-19 convalescent plasma (CCP) was explored as a potentially lifesaving, therapeutic option. Therefore, the Arkansas Initiative for Convalescent Plasma was developed to ensure that every Arkansan has access to this therapy., Study Design and Method: This brief report describes the statewide collaborative response from hospitals, blood collectors, and the Arkansas Department of Health (ADH) to ensure that CCP was available in a resource-limited state., Results: Early contact tracing by ADH identified individuals who had come into contact with "patient zero" in early March. Within the first week, 32 patients tested positive for COVID-19. The first set of CCP collections occurred on 9 April 2020. Donors had to be triaged carefully in the initial period, as many had recently resolved their symptoms. From our first collections, with appropriate resource and inventory management, we collected sufficient CCP to provide the requested number of units for every patient treated with CCP in Arkansas., Conclusions: The Arkansas Initiative, a statewide effort to ensure CCP for every patient in a resource-limited state, required careful coordination among key players. Collaboration and resource management was crucial to meet the demand of CCP products and potentially save lives., (© 2020 AABB.)

The article aims to discuss the consequences of social distancing measures on the availability of blood and organization of blood therapy services at the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic in Brazil. News published in April 2020 on the websites of the country's state Blood Service Networks were consulted and organized in an Excel spreadsheet, presented in summary charts, and descriptions of results were prepared. A critical situation of blood supply, especially of some blood types, has been observed in many states. This situation is influenced by the circulation of the new coronavirus. The adoption of social distancing measures associated with unchanged transfusion demands for outpatient, urgency and emergency care required the implementation of strategies and actions for the reorganization of the services. Protection measures were incorporated, flows were changed and new routines were established. This study shows the extent to which the epidemiological situation of Covid-19 and the necessary measures for its control influenced the stocks and availability of blood. Changes in the organization of blood therapy services were fundamental in order to ensure protection, mitigate the risks of spreading the virus, and ensure the blood supply to meet the needs of the health system.

At the end of 2019, a new coronavirus was identified in people living in the city of Wuhan in China. Since the appearance of the first cases in Wuhan, the SARS-CoV-2 epidemic has spread to the international scale. The COVID-19 pandemic is considered by international scientific societies to have an impact on blood donation and transfusion activities. Efforts must be made at the level of the transfusion centres to ensure proper management of the impact of this health crisis on the availability and the safety of blood products. The National Blood Centre of Morocco (MNBC) has demonstrated a great reactivity and a great adaptability since the beginning of the epidemic and has implemented several measures to face this health crisis. These measures have been updated taking into account the updating of data from national health authorities and international scientific societies concerning this new virus., Competing Interests: The authors declare no competing interests., (Copyright: Sabah Bouhou et al.)

Following the unprecedented global Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak, multiple medical countermeasures ramped up to combat the virus and contain the spread of the pandemic. Despite continued uncertainty and a lack of clarity about the COVID-19, researchers have made tremendous strides in the development of prevention and treatment strategies. In this article, we focus on the use of convalescent plasma as therapeutic approach against COVID-19 infection.