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Blood donations have fallen to catastrophic levels. Experts say young people need to step up. (www.nbcnews.com)

submitted 10 months ago by [email protected] to c/[email protected]

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Changes to the requirements for donating blood coupled with the pandemic have led to a drop-off in the number of teens and young adults donating blood.

It was a white T-shirt bearing the likeness of Snoopy wearing shades and leaning effortlessly against the iconic American Red Cross logo that prompted a surge in blood donations in the spring of 2023.

“Be cool. Give blood,” the shirt urged. The message — on young people, anyway — was effective. More than 70,000 people under age 35 responded to the call, rolling up their sleeves and giving blood in exchange for the coveted tees.

The need for blood is urgent. Over the holidays, the Red Cross had 7,000 fewer units of blood available than were needed by hospitals, said Dr. Eric Gehrie, the executive medical director of the American Red Cross. The organization speculated it would need about 8,000 additional donations every week in January to ensure that hospitals are fully supplied, he added.

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[–] [email protected] 65 points 10 months ago (4 children)

Exactly.

Scenario: A person regularly donates blood for years and receives no benefit from it.

Later they need to receive transfusions due to surgery or medical emergency.

They are charged several thousand dollars for the transfusions, the same amount as a person who has never donated.

What is their motivation to donate again?

[–] [email protected] 13 points 10 months ago

There is very little.

[–] [email protected] 5 points 10 months ago (2 children)

I wonder if the same trend exists here in the UK or other countries with national health service.

I must say paying people to give blood seems like a horrible idea, it incentivizers people with reasons not to give blood such as illness or drug use to lie. Sadly testing and screening isn't very effective so it would likely cause problems.

[–] [email protected] 14 points 10 months ago

I'm from a country with universal health care that is paid via a tax levy that all pay.

We are not paid to donate but we are also provided transfusions for no charge as well.

We do not have the issues mentioned in this article.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 10 months ago

We (India) have free healthcare for the poor and subsidised healthcare for everyone else. Blood will therefore be free / discounted at a government hospital, but private hospitals can charge money. Donors must not be paid (including gifts, coupons, etc.) in either case, but some hospitals give a card or token saying you get priority if you ever need blood at that hospital.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 10 months ago (1 children)

Being a selfless person and knowing you've helped someone?

[–] [email protected] 8 points 10 months ago* (last edited 10 months ago)

Yes, the warm glow of altruistic service to the community is a strong one but it is often hard to maintain in the face of looming bankruptcy due to medical debt.

[–] [email protected] -1 points 10 months ago (1 children)

Did that change? At one time if you donated blood, you didn't charge if you later needed blood...

[–] [email protected] 5 points 10 months ago

Yeah that isn't a thing now. I've never heard of it. Was that like the '60s?