Groups release updated statistics on U.S. blood donation, use

Jan 29, 2024 - 04:03 PM
HHS campaign encourages blood donation. A man in a red T-shirt holds out his left arm which had two Band-Aids in the shape of a cross with a heart in the middle attached to the inside of his elbow after making a blood donation.

America’s Blood Centers and ADRP, the Association of Blood Donor Professionals, last week released a guide highlighting changes in U.S. blood donation and use between 2019 and 2021, including donor and recipient demographics. For example, donations from 16-18 year olds and adults under 25 declined 61% and 32%, respectively, due to limits on blood drives at school campuses, while donations from adults age 25-64 and 65 or older increased 14% and 41%, respectively. The percentage of first-time donors fell from 31% to 26%. Only about 3% of the eligible U.S. population donates blood each year. About 90 hospital-based blood centers and 53 community blood centers are registered with the Food and Drug Administration.

“This new edition sheds light on the long-term impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the blood supply and the need for ongoing donations from younger and diverse populations to ensure the resilience of the nation’s blood supply,” said ABC CEO Kate Fry.

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