America’s Blood Centers and our member organizations are at the forefront of ensuring that the nation’s blood supply remains safe, accessible, and ready to meet the needs of patients across the country.
Multi-Layered Protection Strategies
Ensuring the safety of the nation’s blood supply is the top priority for America’s Blood Centers and the entire blood community. Multiple layers of safety are in place to protect those that rely on blood transfusions. To maintain the highest degree of safety, all U.S. blood centers are regulated by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and must adhere to following donor eligibility policies and safeguards.
Blood centers employ a sophisticated, multi-faceted approach to protect against potential threats, including tick and mosquito-borne illnesses. This comprehensive strategy includes:
- Rigorous Donor Screening: Blood centers utilize in-depth questionnaires and interviews to assess donor eligibility, focusing on health history and recent travel.
- Advanced Testing Protocols: Blood centers employ state-of-the-art nucleic acid testing (NAT) and other screening methods to detect a wide range of pathogens. Additional technologies, such as pathogen reduction, can be used on platelet and plasma products.
- Strategic Deferral Policies: Blood centers implement evidence-based deferral periods for donors who have a higher risk of exposure to certain illnesses due to time spent in areas endemic for certain pathogens.
- Ongoing Surveillance: Blood centers collaborate with national health agencies to monitor emerging threats and adapt their protocols accordingly.
Addressing Specific Seasonal Challenges: Tick and Mosquito-Borne Diseases
The blood community has safeguards in place to protect the blood supply against tick and mosquito-borne diseases that impact millions of Americans each year:
- Babesiosis: In states where the babesia parasite is prevalent, FDA has mandated that NAT (nucleic acid testing) be performed on every donation, with positive results leading to a two-year deferral. In states where testing is not mandated, donors must be asked if they have a history of a positive test for babesia. Donors who have had a history of a positive babesia test are deferred for two years from the date of the positive test.
- West Nile Virus: Universal screening by NAT for the West Nile virus (WNV) has been performed by blood centers since 2003. The implementation of WNV NAT has dramatically reduced the incidents of transfusion-transmitted cases. In fact, no transfusion-transmitted cases have been reported since 2012.
- Malaria: While not endemic in the U.S., blood centers have robust protocols for screening donors with travel history to and/or former residency in malaria endemic regions. In addition, donors who have had malaria are deferred for 3 years from the date of recovery. This demonstrates a global awareness and commitment to safety.
Looking Ahead
As we continue to face new challenges, our members and the entire blood community remain committed to utilizing the latest technology, refining our processes, and collaborating with health authorities to stay ahead of potential threats.
The next time you see one of our member centers conducting a blood drive, remember that you’re witnessing just one visible part of a sophisticated, nationwide system dedicated to saving lives and protecting public health.
For more information on blood donation eligibility or to find a donation center near you, please contact your community blood center.