Includes prehospital transfusion data and expanded insight into donor participation and patient needs across America
Washington, DC – America’s Blood Centers (ABC), the national organization of community-based, independent blood centers that supply 60 percent of the nation’s blood supply, in partnership with ADRP: The Association for Blood Donor Professionals, today released the latest edition of the U.S. Blood Donation Statistics and Public Messaging Guide, a major update to the field’s most widely cited reference for journalists, policymakers, advocates, and blood centers. The new edition incorporates the latest data from published research and credible public sources, expanding coverage of key patient populations, and adds new sections reflecting how blood is used and delivered in real-world emergency settings outside hospital walls.
This edition shows meaningful shifts in both donor participation and blood utilization, including changes in donation patterns following the COVID-19 pandemic, increased participation among younger donors, declines in donor deferral rates, and growth in donations from communities of color since 2021. For the first time, emerging national data on prehospital blood transfusions are included, illustrating the growing role of blood transfusion in trauma care.
“The U.S. Blood Donation Statistics and Public Messaging Guide reflects how quickly data and the delivery of care are changing,” said Kare Fry, CEO of America’s Blood Centers. “The 2026 edition not only updates the numbers, but adds critical context about who is donating, who is receiving blood, and how lifesaving transfusions are increasingly happening before many patients even reach the hospital.”
“When people understand the facts, they are more likely to take action,” said Claude Leboeuf, President of ADRP. “With newly updated national data, expanded insight, and ready-to-use social media graphics, the guide equips blood centers, educators, and the media with the information they need to communicate the realities of blood donation and patient care in America.”
About 62% of the U.S. population, roughly 212 million people, is eligible to donate blood, yet only 3% do each year. In 2023, U.S. hospitals transfused red blood cells to 3.65 million patients, with an average of 2.8 units per recipient, totaling more than 10 million red blood cell transfusions nationwide. Each day, hospitals also transfuse over 6,000 units of platelets and nearly 5,200 units of plasma, with more than one quarter of the blood supply used in cancer care. Because red blood cells expire within 21 to 42 days and platelets within five to seven days, the nation’s blood supply depends on volunteer donors giving regularly.
The U.S. Blood Donation Statistics and Public Messaging Guide is designed to support consistent, accurate communication across media coverage, policy discussions, advocacy efforts, and public education campaigns. It includes customizable sample social media graphics and customizable infographics that highlight key statistics.
Founded in 1962, America’s Blood Centers (ABC) is the national organization bringing together community-based, independent blood centers across North America. These organizations operate in more than 1,100 communities and provide close to 60 percent of the U.S. and a quarter of the Canadian blood supply. ABC member organizations serve more than 150 million people and provide blood products and services to more than 3,500 hospitals and healthcare facilities. All ABC U.S. members are 501(c)(3) organizations are regulated by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration or Health Canada. For more information, visit www.AmericasBlood.org.
ADRP: The Association for Blood Donor Professionals provides educational opportunities, networking, and resources to more than 1,200 global members. It seeks to empower blood donor professionals by providing a forum for creativity, innovation, collaboration, and development as they make blood donation a priority in every community worldwide. For more information, visit www.ADRP.org.
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