Blood
Still at it – and whither ASBP?
Blood bankers industrialized themselves after WWII for good reason – to ensure the blood supply was safe – industrial type production enforced standards and enhanced “potency, purity, and sterility.” (thank you COL Whitaker, for having me commit that to memory) But, somewhere in the rush to not-just-profitability-but-ever-increasing-profitability, some lost (and continue to lose) touch with … Continue reading
Your Donation Dollars at Work
NYT reports on some of the inherent problems with a mostly volunteer service that makes money for top execs: Problems Persist With Red Cross Blood Services By STEPHANIE STROM For 15 years, the American Red Cross has been under a federal court order to improve the way it collects and processes blood. Yet, despite $21 … Continue reading
Expensive but Safe
Now if we could get all the eligible donors to cough it up: Nation’s blood supply is expensive but safeThe large number of tests now required by the FDA to check for diseases has made the nation’s blood supply extremely safe, one expert says, but also has increased the price of one unit of red … Continue reading
Iraqi Donors Demand Payment
Because apparently everything goes nastier with war: Iraqi blood shortage leads to donors demanding paymentSome Iraqis are demanding payment for blood donations amid a serious shortage of blood in the war-torn country. “The most expensive blood types are the rare ones and we cannot force people to give them for free,” a surgeon at a … Continue reading
Blood Donor Pool Shrinking
This is a real defense, public health, and increasingly finance security problem developing. These stories were sent to me by a friend but sadly, there are plenty more out there: Public Health (ASCP) Red Cross warns of potential blood shortage in Southern California. The UPI (9/3) reported that the Red Cross faces “a potential year-long … Continue reading
Appearance of Prejudice (and evidence of stupidity)
Among the dumber things are the prohibitions against gay people donating blood. As it stands, a person that frequents prostitutes could donate but a man in a committed relationship can’t. Before the AIDS epidemic, gay populations were among the best blood donors in America. Now, almost none of them can donate. There are certain risk … Continue reading
