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Kate Hamilton

Professor Jennifer Courtney

English 2010

18 September 2018

Plasma Paucity: Could Uninfected Blood Become More Valuable Than Gold?

Anyone who has watched the news or listened to a broadcast of disaster relief or

humanitarian aid knows who the nationwide non-profit helping hero is. The American Red Cross

has become the symbol of relief and assistance to millions of people in the United States and to

those across the globe. Besides providing temporary housing for those displaced from natural

disasters, distributing meals to those who have nothing, and helping rebuild homes for those who

have lost everything, the Red Cross is one of the major blood distributors all over the nation.

Have you ever seen a flier or an add from the Red Cross urging for blood and plasma donations?

Annually, the Red Cross receives statistics for the amount of donations a year and who is

donating. In this year’s statistics report, the ARC stated, “every year, approximately 6.8 million

people donate blood to the American Red Cross each year”(“Blood Needs & Blood Supply”).

However, every year, there are less and less donations being performed. Because of the extreme

need hospitals have for blood, the Red Cross is consistently urging people to come and donate so

patients in hospitals or those going through chemotherapy can heal. “Across the country, Red

Cross blood donations have fallen short over the past two months: 61,000 fewer donations than
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needed. The shortfall is the equivalent of the Red Cross not collecting any blood for more than

four days”(Boal, Jed).

(Winnepeg Airports Authority). However, there are individuals who donate but have an illness or

infection. Because of this factor, majority of their blood is not tested or screened, thus making

the sick individual that needs the blood even sicker. Despite this pressing need for clean, pure

blood, many Americans are turned away from donation because of certain lifestyle factors.

Because of the extreme blood scarcity, many blood donation centers are not screening blood

because they are desperate for donations. Because blood is not being filtered and screened, many

ill individuals are becoming at risk for serious and life-threatening illnesses, thus causing an

extreme need for those with clean, uninfected blood.

Imagine knowing that you needed a hip replacement at a time where donated blood has

been known to be possibly infected. You know that you will need two to three pints of blood to

replace your blood loss from the surgery, so you decide to donate your blood ahead of time so

your own blood can be transfused, thus protecting your body from being infected with donated

blood. Sounds like a fantastic idea, right? Rollin Tobin, a public safety director from Michigan,

thought the exact same thing when he was faced with this situation. His surgeon informed Tobin

that he would only need two pints of blood, but he decided to be safe and prepared three pints of

his own blood for his surgery. However, during his surgery, he ended up needing more than three

pints of blood, so a forth pint was requested from the hospital blood bank. Following the

transfusion of the forth pint, his blood pressure dropped significantly and was then scheduled for
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a second exploratory surgery (Newman). He died the next morning because the forth pint of

blood was infected with a very rare and uncommon bacteria named Yersinia. Put yourself in

Rollin Tobin’s shoes. He was so worried about receiving infected blood during his surgery that

he prepared ahead of time and got his own blood ready for transfusion, and yet he ends up

needing an extra pint of blood that happens to be infected. Although Yersinia is a very rare

bacteria, a variety of different, more harmful bacteria are seen frequently in donation

centers. Despite the rare occurrence of Yersinia infecting a blood donation bag, a more common

virus is frequently infecting transfusion patients. “About 4,200 units of blood infected with

viruses that cause hepatitis slip through undetected every year. Food and Drug Administration

Commissioner David Kessler has told Congress that between 90 and 460 units harboring HIV get

through. And the chance of an allergic reaction to a transfusion is as high as 1 in 25” (Newman).

At any given time, there are at least 100 patients in a hospital at any given time. If they all are

needing blood transfusions, 4 already sick individuals will be receiving infected blood because at

the time of donation, the donor’s blood is not being screened properly. If blood donation centers

properly screen blood at the time of donation, those needing blood transfusions will become

protected from being sicker and the need for clean, uninfected blood will slowly decline.

From the information above, one could think that the Red Cross would want those with

healthy, active lifestyles to donate clean blood at a local blood drive. The answer is obviously

yes, however there are very sensitive questions on the registration sheet the Red Cross requires

donors to fill out prior to donation that contradict that assumption. Mark Boyer, a vegetarian in

perfect health who runs seven miles a day thought that he would help those ill in his area and

decided to donate blood. This sounded like a selfless and fantastic idea until he was told by a

nurse that he was unable to donate blood, causing him to be placed on a deferred registry. Why
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couldn’t this perfectly healthy male donate? He answered truthfully to question 5.6 on the

registration sheet: “For males: have you had sex, even once, with another male since 1977?”

(Milbouer). Think of this experience from Mr. Boyer’s point of view. A very healthy gay man

who gets regularly tested for HIV and AIDS goes to donate blood, knowing that he does not have

HIV, and is then told that he cannot donate blood because he is at risk for transmitting HIV and

AIDS via donation. Because of the embarrassment from getting turned away from donating

blood, it may discourage many other individuals who were like Mr. Boyer who live a gay

lifestyle, yet are consciously aware of the transmission of HIV and AIDS, from donating blood.

From the Red Cross’ point of view, they were looking out for the person on the other end of this

donation and tried to prevent the spread of HIV. “From 1978 to 1985…Approximately 29,000

transfusion recipients were infected with the AIDS virus; an estimated 17,000 have since died”

(Chapman). “From 1978 to 1985…Approximately 29,000 transfusion recipients were infected

with the AIDS virus; an estimated 17,000 have since died” (Chapman). Because of these very

high statistics, the American Red Cross have implemented screening questions to prevent the

spread of HIV.

In conclusion, if the Red Cross accepted donations from every individual willing to

donate, they would have a massive amount of blood that could be given to very ill individuals

who need transfusions. They could thoroughly test each bag for pathogens like those carrying

HIV, AIDS, or Yersinia that killed Mr. Tobin, thus preventing the sudden drop in blood

donations and the sudden urgency in necessary donations. If the Red Cross thoroughly examined

all the pints of blood received from blood donation drives and did not turn anyone away due to

their lifestyle, there would not be a risk of transmitting pathogens. By allowing anyone to donate
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and testing the specimens post-donation, there would not be a blood shortage and an urgency to

donate.

Works Cited

“Blood Needs & Blood Supply.” American Red Cross Blood Services,

www.redcrossblood.org/donate-blood/how-to-donate/how-blood-donations-help/blood-needs-

blood-supply.html

Boal, Jed. “Red Cross Warns of Blood Shortage and Urgently Needs Donors.” KSL, KSL, 22

July 2018, https://www.ksl.com/article/46364259/red-cross-warns-of-blood-shortage-and-

urgently-needs-donors

Chapman, Michael. “How Safe Is The Blood Supply?” SIRS Issue Researcher, Consumer's

Research, Apr. 1994

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Milbouer, Stacy. “Banned Blood Donor Questions Red Cross Computer Data Bank.” SIRS

Issue Researcher, Boston Globe, 4 Jan. 1998

Winnipeg Airports Authority. “Winnipeg James Armstrong Richardson International

AirportReturn to Main Site.” Life Savers | Blog | Winnipeg James Armstrong Richardson

International Airport, www.waa.ca/blog/post/847/life-savers