America’s Blood Centers (ABC) has concluded its 2024 Blood Advocacy Week. This year’s event featured more than 80 organizations, including member blood centers and partner organizations, united in the common goal of advancing policies that prioritize the blood supply, promote access to blood and blood products, and increase the blood donor base.
During the 2024 Blood Advocacy Week (June 10th-14th) ABC and leaders from community blood centers engaged federal agencies by conducting meetings with representatives from multiple federal agencies to encourage administrative action to support the blood supply. These in-person meetings included staff from the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA), the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Health at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research (CBER).
The 2024 Blood Advocacy Week BARDA meeting included Mary Homer, PhD, chief of the Radiological and Nuclear Countermeasures Division of Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear Medical Countermeasures and other BARDA staff to discuss the state of the blood community, pre-hospital blood transfusions, and increasing surge capacity.
While at HHS, the meeting featured HHS Assistant Secretary for Health Admiral Rachel Levine, MD to discuss the implementation of individual donor assessments and the “Summer of Giving” campaign, blood product supply chain, the state of the blood community, and post-COVID-19 trends in donation.
The 2024 Blood Advocacy Week meeting with FDA included CBER Director Peter Marks, MD, PhD and CBER’s Office of Blood Research and Review Director Anne Eder, MD, PhD to discuss several issues such as licensure challenges ABC members are facing when implementing apheresis product collections at new fixed site locations. ABC had the opportunity to share the results of ABC’s member survey and feedback regarding stream-lining product licensure with FDA and highlighted the need for the agency to clarify the licensure and submission processes.
Other 2024 Blood Advocacy Week action included:
- a congressional briefing on Tuesday, June 11th on Capitol Hill regarding the status of the nation’s blood supply and urging action on key priorities;
- a group letter from 80+ partners to members of Congress highlighting the need to make the blood supply a national priority; and
- encouraging public action through a week-long Axios Politics and Policy takeover, press releases, letters to Congress, and social media campaigns.
ABC thanks all members, partners, and sponsors for their participation in Blood Advocacy Week and amplifying our advocacy efforts.