Since 1997, the biennial Department of Health and Human Services’ National Blood and Collection Utilization Survey (NBCUS) has been used to estimate blood collection and use in the U.S. Overall, 92.5% (49/53) of community-based collection centers, 74.7% (62/83) of hospital-based collection centers and 76.3% (2102/2754) of hospitals responded in 2021. Previously published data from the 2021 survey highlighted a stabilization of RBC use with 10.7 million units transfused. Additional data recently published showed that successful blood donations increased by 4.8% from 2019 to 11.5 million donations in 2021. Notably, donations increased by 40.7% in donors 65 years of age and older, but donations from minorities and individuals less than 25 years old decreased. Furthermore, donor deferrals decreased by 18.7% in 2021 compared to 2019, which was partially explained by a decrease in travel-related deferrals due to the FDA policy changes during the COVID-19 pandemic related to travel to malaria-endemic areas and donor deferrals related to men who have sex with men. While the prices hospitals paid for all blood components increased from 2019 to 2021, the cost of pathogen-reduced platelets were the most expensive (median cost, $660/unit); hospitals reporting pathogen-reduced platelet use increased from 13% in 2019 to 60% in 2021. Continued monitoring of the U.S. blood supply is necessary to ensure its resilience during emergencies.
References:
- Kracalik I, Sapiano MRP, Wild RC, Chavez Ortiz J, Stewart P, Berger JJ, Basavaraju SV, Free RJ. Supplemental findings of the 2021 National Blood Collection and Utilization Survey. Transfusion. 2023
- Free RJ, Sapiano MRP, Chavez Ortiz JL, Stewart P, Berger J, Basavaraju SV. Continued stabilization of blood collections and transfusions in the United States: Findings from the 2021 National Blood Collection and Utilization Survey. Transfusion. 2023
