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Red Cross declares crisis over blood shortage in US for second time in history (www.bbc.com)
submitted 3 months ago by to c/news@lemmy.world
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A blood supply shortage in the US has reached a "crisis" level, according to the American Red Cross, which says it is the second time in its 150-year history that levels have been this low.

Factors including wildfires and extreme heat have combined to create the current situation, Dr Courtney Lawrence, who works with the American Red Cross, told the BBC.

Supply levels dropped by a quarter just last month. The crisis has struck during summer, when the amount of blood needed by hospitals typically increases.

That is because of an increased number of car accidents and more people spending time outdoors, resulting in more injuries that require blood transfusions, Lawrence said.

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[–] 32 points 3 months ago* (last edited 3 months ago) (3 children)

Whole blood is not sold for profit, but organizations do charge hospitals a handling fee to cover operational costs... but I just realized as I was typing this that you aren't talking about the organizations that collect blood, but the hospitals.

I looked up what it generally costs for a one-unit (1pt, ~470ml) blood transfusion, and it's over $2000! I'd like to think that all the blood and platelet donations I've made over the years had saved lives, which objectively they probably did. But now knowing how much hospitals and insurance companies are profiting off of the act of donating makes it feel less like a selfless act of compassion and more like cattle being herded into a milking parlor.

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  • [–] 8 points 3 months ago

    Whole blood is not sold for profit, but organizations do charge hospitals a handling fee to cover operational costs...

    Domestically...... Blood and blood products are America's 9th largest export, and we export 70% of the world's blood plasma supply. It's nearly a 40 billion dollar business.

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