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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] -8 points 10 months ago (1 children)

I have free, at the point of service, healthcare, and blood donations are still unpaid. No buying body parts or something... It's a gift and it must be entirely voluntary. Did you think people could sell their blood in civilised countries?

[–] [email protected] 7 points 10 months ago* (last edited 10 months ago) (1 children)

Your way is how it SHOULD be.

I feel like you’re missing the fact that in the US the blood bank sells our freely given blood to hospitals.

Those hospitals then charge us for the blood when we need it.

We sell plasma. Why not blood?

If hospitals wanna be a business, expect to pay for inputs.

What other business expects their inputs for free?