The United States Department of Health and Human Services(HHS) has published results from their 2011 National Blood Collection and Utilization Survey, describing trends in blood collection and use over the past several years. The survey, conducted in conjunction with the AABB, found that collection of allogenic whole blood and red blood cell units had decreased 9.1% from levels in 2008. This decline was likely due to adjustments by blood collectors for a previous oversupply of blood. The 2011 report also found that transfusions of whole blood and red cells declined by 8.2% to 13.8 million units since 2008, but transfusions of apheresis platelets increased over this time period. Survey respondents included non-hospital-based blood collection organizations, hospitals from the American Hospital Association database, AABB member hospitals, and cord blood banks.
Reference
1. United States Department of Health and Human Services. The 2011 National Blood Collection and Utilization Survey Report. 2013. Accessed July 28, 2013. http://www.hhs.gov/ash/bloodsafety/2011-nbcus.pdf.
