The campaign's success has been covered by various media outlets over the years. This includes local BBC News and radio, [ 3 ]  television, [ 6 ]  local newspapers such as the  Telegraph & Argus [ 7 ]  and many others. [ 8 ] [ 9 ] [ 10 ] [ 11 ] [ 2 ]
In December 2011, Rugby League star  Ikram Butt  showed his support by giving blood at the Campaign's blood drive in Leeds. [ 12 ]
In January 2018, First Minister  Nicola Sturgeon  visited the Edinburgh donor centre expressing her support for the IHBDC. [ 13 ]


IUS IHBDC received significant exposure and praise in the first report from the  All-Party Parliamentary Group  (APPG) on British Muslims on the role Muslim charities often play during the festive season of Christmas and throughout the year. [ 14 ]


The campaign is a branch of the Islamic Unity Society, a registered charity set up in 1995 to promote and develop the wellbeing of Britain's youth on the basis of Islamic principles. They work closely with NHS Blood and Transplant who host and staff the donation sessions. [ citation needed ]


The campaign has clarified that donating blood is a permitted and, in fact, a recommended act in  Islam .  Some eminent religious scholars  have issued information regarding the donating of blood and shown support for the campaign. [ 15 ] [ 16 ]


SGPGIMS Lucknow


Jai Gopal Jolly  (born 1 October 1926) was an Indian physician and professor of the Department of Transfusion Medicine at the  Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research , Chandigarh, India. He is an internationally known expert in the field of blood transfusion, who pioneered the voluntary blood donation movement in India, [ 1 ]  and is regarded as the "Father of Transfusion Medicine in India". [ 2 ] [ 3 ] [ 4 ]  He spearheaded the campaign to prohibit sale and purchase of blood from professional donors in India, [ 5 ] [ 6 ]  which was later incorporated into the National Blood Policy of India [ 7 ] [ 8 ] [ 9 ] [ 10 ]  by the  Government of India . He has generated awareness among the masses about the significance of blood donation programmes by observing "Blood Donation Day" on 1 October. This has helped in obtaining adequate quantity of quality blood from voluntary donors. [ 11 ]


He was the founder of the Blood Bank Society, Chandigarh, founder President of Indian Society of Blood Transfusion and Immunohaematology [ 12 ]  and made significant contributions to the development of Blood programme in India. As a result of his contributions, he represented India in numerous International Delegations as well as scientific conferences. During the course of these visits he got the opportunity of studying the blood transfusion programme in different parts of the world for revamping the organisational set up in India.


On the completion of his assignment at the  PGI , Chandigarh he joined  SGPGI   Lucknow  to establish a department of excellence where he introduced postgraduate degrees in  Transfusion Medicine  for the first time in India. He then provided consultation to the Government Medical College, Chandiagrh. [ 13 ]


During the recent years, he has been concentrating his activities primarily towards the academic development of transfusion medicine and to provide free factors to haemophiliacs. [ 14 ] [ 15 ] [ 16 ]  He has also advocated "screening of parents and unborn babies for thalassaemia in India". [ 17 ] [ 18 ] [ 19 ] [ 20 ]  He has emphasised the need for the provision of more and advanced facilities for the preparation of blood components in India. [ 21 ] [ 22 ]  He has worked to meeting blood requirement during disasters. [ 23 ]
Being associated with the National and State Blood Transfusion Councils of Punjab, Haryana and Chandigarh he has continued his efforts in the development of Transfusion services in the region. [ 24 ] [ 25 ] [ 26 ] [ 27 ] [ 28 ]  He was also instrumental in setting up a department of Transfusion Medicine, having well established units for blood components at the newly established  Government Medical College , Chandigarh. As an international expert on Blood Transfusion Medicine, he has reviewed  Strategies for Safe Blood Transfusion  for the  World Health Organization , [ 29 ]  and has written over 100 scientific articles in international journals. [ 30 ] [ 31 ] [ 32 ] [ 33 ]


As a result of his innumerable contributions in this field Jolly is recognised as the leader of blood banking in India. [ 34 ] [ 35 ] [ 36 ] [ 37 ]  Among the numerous distinctions conferred on Jolly are the J. G. Mukherjee gold medal by the  Lucknow University  for distinguished research contribution (1958),  Dr. B. C. Roy Award  for the development of the speciality of Blood Transfusion in India (1981), Philip Levine Memorial Award for national contributions in Transfusion Medicine (1993) and IDPL Diamond Jubilee IMA Oration Award (1996). He was also awarded by The Chandigarh Administration on the Republic Day of India for social service and illustrious achievements in the field of blood donation. [ 38 ]  The fact that the speciality of blood transfusion has begun to be recognised in India can be attributed to the sustained effort of Jolly. He has been accorded recognition by the  World Health Organization ,  International Society of Blood Transfusion  and  World Federation of Hemophilia .


Daya Bir Singh Kansakar  ( Nepali :  दयावीरसिंह कंसकार ; 1911 – 5 February 2001, Kathmandu, Nepal) was a Nepalese social worker and the first blood donor in  Nepal .  also the chief founder of Paropakar Organization, the country's earliest social service organization. [ 1 ] [ 2 ]


Kansakar  was born in  Kathmandu . His father, Bhawani Bir Singh Kansakar, was a trader. His mother was named Laxmi Devi. Kansakar studied up to Class 8 at  Durbar High School  in Kathmandu, and then took up self-study at home. He went to Chandra Laxmi  Tuladhar  of Nhyokha in 1927. [ 3 ] [ 4 ]


In 1944, Kansakar donated blood at  Bir Hospital  in Kathmandu for a patient who was in a critical state, and became Nepal's first blood donor. [ 5 ]  He continued to engage in social work, distributing free medicines to the needy. On 26 September 1947, Paropakar was formed under his leadership with the aim of providing service in an institutional manner. [ 6 ]


After the revolution of 1951 and the advent of democracy in Nepal, the Paropakar Organization expanded its sphere of activities. On 23 June 1952, Paropakar Orphanage was established. That same year, Paropakar Orphanage Middle School opened. [ 7 ] [ 8 ]


Kansakar worked to set up Paropakar Indra Rajya Laxmi Devi Prasuti Griha maternity hospital in Kathmandu. Popularly known as Prasuti Griha, it is Nepal's first maternity hospital and opened on 26 September 1959. [ 9 ]  Kansakar was an advocate of homespun, and set up Karuna Kapa Factory to produce traditional Nepalese cloth. He was also a writer and has produced a number of literary works in  Nepal Bhasa . [ 10 ]


Kansakar was recognised as a Role Model Volunteer at the celebration of the International Volunteer Day (IVD) and closing ceremony of International Year of Volunteers 2001 (IYV) in Kathmandu. [ 11 ]  The Postal Service Department of the government of Nepal issued a commemorative postage stamp depicting Kansakar's portrait in 2002. [ 12 ]


He has also been decorated with the  Order of Gorkha Dakshina Bahu , Second Class (previously Fourth Class), and the  Order of Tri Shakti Patta  by the  king of Nepal . [ 13 ]  In 1963, he was named a member of the  Privy Council  (Raj Sabha). [ 14 ]  President of Nepal  Ram Baran Yadav  issued a message on the occasion of the centenary of his birth saying that Kansakar's philanthropic services would always be remembered. [ 15 ]


The  Karl Landsteiner Memorial Award  is a scientific award given by the  American Association of Blood Banks  (AABB) to scientists with "an international reputation in transfusion medicine or cellular therapies" "whose original research resulted in an important contribution to the body of scientific knowledge". Recipients give a lecture at the AABB Annual Meeting and receive a $7,500 honorarium. The prize was initiated in 1954 to honor  Karl Landsteiner , whose research laid the foundation for modern  blood transfusion  therapy. [ 1 ]  In 2023, the AABB renamed the Karl Landsteiner Memorial Award as the  Landsteiner-Alter Award  in honor of both Karl Landsteiner and  Harvey J. Alter . [ 2 ]


Kanta Saroop Krishen  (née  Bhagwan ; 7 February 1929 – 30 November 2024) was an Indian social worker and one of the founders of the Blood Bank Society,  Chandigarh  and the Indian Society of  Blood transfusion  and Immunohaematology. [ citation needed ]  She is known to have worked for spreading the message of voluntary  blood donation in India [ 1 ]  and is a recipient of the fourth highest Indian civilian award of  Padma Shri  for the year 1972 from the  Government of India . [ 2 ]


Kanta Bhagwan was born on 7 February 1929, [ 3 ]  in  Punjab Province ,  British India  (now in Pakistan), into a rich family to R. B. Vishan Bhagwan, one-time chairman of the  Union Public Service Commission . She is reported to have been studious in her studies and passed the matriculation examination with scholarship. She got married at the age of 16 to Sarup Krishen, an Indian Administrative Service officer who would later become the first chief secretary of the state of  Haryana . [ 4 ] [ 5 ]  In Chandigarh, she met  J. G. Jolly , then professor and head of the department of transfusion medicine at the  Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research  and started associating with Jolly's efforts in combating commercial blood donations which posed the danger of unsafe blood. She assisted Jolly in the establishment of the Blood Bank Society, Chandigarh (BBS) and the Indian Society of Blood Transfusion and Immunohaematology (ISBTI) and became the founder secretary general of ISBTI, [ citation needed ]  a post she held for 45 years. She served BBS as its secretary for 25 years and the Blood Centre of the organisation is housed in a building constructed with a donation of  ₹  5 million from her brother, Sudhir Bhagwan. She has also been associated with the  Indian Red Cross Society , Women's Defence Council,  Bharat Scouts and Guides  and Child Welfare Council (CWC) [ citation needed ]  and has served as the secretary of CWS.


Kanta Krishen was one of the associates of  H. D. Shourie  when he gathered information and filed a civil writ petition at the  Supreme Court of India  against the commercial practices in blood donation on which the apex court of India returned a judgment banning commercial blood donation. Later, she organised several awareness campaigns and presented papers at various conferences in India and abroad. She also participated in the activities of  Sant Nirankari Mission , a spiritual organisation based in Delhi. Her efforts were also reported behind the formulation of the National Blood Donation Policy by the  Government of India .


Sarup Krishen, her husband died in 2006, [ 6 ]  leaving behind their son, Sanjiv Krishen and two daughters, Niti Sarin and Anu Ganju. The  Government of India  awarded her the civilian honour of  Padma Shri  in 1972. [ 2 ]  She was also a recipient of  Red Cross  Gold Medal, H. D. Shourie Award,  Mother Teresa  Award and  Rajiv Gandhi  Award.


Kanta Krishen died on 30 November 2024, at the age of 95. [ 7 ]


Richard Lewisohn  (July 12, 1875 in Hamburg – August 11, 1961 in New York [ 1 ] ) was a German-American surgeon. At  Mount Sinai Hospital  in Manhattan, he developed procedures that made  blood transfusion  practical.


Lewisohn was born to  German-Jewish [ 2 ]  parents in  Hamburg  and was educated at the local  Gymnasium  from where he entered medical school in  Kiel  in 1893. [ 3 ]  As was typical for German medical students, he attended several different medical schools, before receiving his doctorate from the  University of Freiburg  in 1899 with a thesis on malignant kidney tumors. [ 3 ]  He then served for two years as an assistant to  Karl Weigert  at the  Senckenberg Institute  in  Frankfurt . In 1904 he became an assistant to  Geheimrat Czerny  in  Heidelberg . [ 3 ]  In 1906 he emigrated to New York, where he became a gastroenterologist and surgeon; [ 4 ]  from 1928 to 1936 he was chief of the general surgical service at Mount Sinai. [ 5 ]


Following early speculation and its use in animal  transfusion , [ 6 ]  in April 1914 Belgian physician  Albert Hustin  used  sodium citrate  to prevent donated blood from clotting during transfusion. [ 1 ]   Luis Agote  had also used a citrate method at Buenos Aires on 14 November 1914. [ 1 ]  Working independently, Lewisohn's contribution, in 1915, was to determine the optimal concentration of sodium citrate for preserving blood products without inducing toxicity (0.2% for transfusions not exceeding 5g). [ 7 ]  Correct use of sodium citrate made it possible to preserve blood products for longer and longer periods of time allowing donor and donee to be geographically separate. His research was put into use during the  First World War [ 7 ]  though it was only introduced to British medical services in 1917 (by  Oswald Robertson ). [ 1 ]


In 1922, he convinced his colleague  Albert Berg  to perform the first subtotal  gastrectomy  for  peptic ulcer  in the United States. [ 5 ]  He had traveled previously to  Hans von Haberer  in Innsbruck, Austria, where the method had already been applied and where he became familiar with the surgical techniques. [ 5 ]  Following the successful application at Mount Sinai, the technique spread to the rest of the United States for ulcers resistant to other treatment. [ 3 ]  Lewisohn was also a contemporary of Alexis Moschcowitz and his successor as chief of the general surgical service at Mount Sinai. [ 5 ]


In 1937, Lewisohn retired from active surgery and became a consulting surgeon. He focused his time on cancer research, [ 3 ]  and was "the first to define the significance of  folic acid  in the biology of cancer" and was "among the first to use folic acid antagonists clinically". [ 5 ]  He spent approximately ten years thus engaged, before retiring more completely, only to re-enter the world of medical research in 1954, to oversee and the creation of a new cell research laboratory at Mount Sinai, made possible by a large donation. [ 3 ]


In 1955 he received the  American Association of Blood Banks '  Karl Landsteiner Memorial Award . [ 1 ]  In January 1959 he became an honorary fellow of the  Royal College of Surgeons of England , having been a fellow of the  American College of Surgeons  since 1916. [ 7 ]  Lewisohn was also a Fellow of the  American Gastroenterological Association , and served on the  American Board of Surgery . [ 7 ]


In 1911, Lewisohn married Constance Strauss. They had  three children, two of whom survived to adulthood.  [ 3 ]


The  Little Yellow Duck Project  is a UK-based international project started in 2014 to raise consciousness of the need for  organ ,  stem cell  and  blood donors  and to encourage small  random acts of kindness . Participants are invited to knit, crochet or otherwise create small yellow ducks and then leave them in public places to be found by strangers. Each duck has a tag introducing the project, often naming the duck, and encouraging the finder to log on to the project website. There they can record the finding of the duck and learn more about the need for organ, stem cell and blood donors and how to become one. [ 1 ]


The project was started by British woman Emma Harris in memory of her friend Clare Cruickshank, who died from  cystic fibrosis  aged 26 on 15 April 2013 while waiting for a  double lung transplant . Cruickshank had collected  rubber ducks  during her life, and this inspired the project. [ 2 ]  It has received international media coverage including crafting blogs and websites, [ 3 ] [ 4 ]  knitting magazines, [ 2 ]  and an Australian radio show. [ 5 ]


The project was launched on 15 April 2014, the first anniversary of Cruickshank's death, [ 6 ]  and as of 24 April 2023 14,042 ducks had been recorded in 96 countries. [ 7 ]  Earlier records had shown up to 107 countries, [ 8 ]  but  the system was revised in March 2022 to include only sovereign countries, excluding, for example, the  Isle of Man . [ 9 ]


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Medal of Merit for Blood Donation  ( French :  Médaille du Mérite pour le don du sang ) is a civil state  decoration  of  Luxembourg  established in 1979.


Three-grade medal was established by  Grand Duke Jean  with decree of 22 October 1979. [ 2 ]  The Medal is awarded to voluntary blood donors only, by Grand Duke of Luxembourg, at the request of Minister of Health, who is advised by of the Council of Order. The Council of Order originally consisted of five people. It was changed by decree of 4 February 1985 [ 3 ]  and presently the council consists of seven members, of which minimum six is required to make advice. Members of the council are appointed for a four-year term and can be appointed for next one. Current council was appointed 17 February 2016. Foreigners may also be awarded, if they donated blood to recognized Luxembourg organization. [ citation needed ]


The Medal has three grades: [ citation needed ]


According to information of Luxembourg Red Cross, Bronze Medal is awarded for donating blood twenty times, Silver Medal for forty times and  Gold Medal for eighty times, [ 1 ]  but such requirements are not included in decree. From the establishment of the medal in 1979 to 11 June 2016 (the day on which more people were awarded) it was awarded: 17,629 Bronze Medals, 10,097 Silver Medals and 3,085 Gold Medals. [ 1 ]  New decorations are awarded every year. Approx. 400 people were awarded on 21 October 2017. [ 4 ]


The badge of medal is a  cross  of  Red Cross , enameled in red, crowned, with diamond-shape plaques. On plaque on  obverse  is  coat of arms  of Grand Duchess of Luxembourg, which are three combined coats of arms with lions. In upper left quarter is lion, coat of arm of  Nassau , in lower left quarter is lion, coat of arm of  Luxembourg  and in right half is lion, coat of arm of  Belgium . On plaque on  reverse  is profile of Grand Duchess  Joséphine Charlotte , facing left, surrounded by an inscription  S.A.R Joséphine Charlotte Grande-Duchesse de Luxembourg  ( H.R.H. Joséphine Charlotte Grand Duchess of Luxembourg ). Plaques, edges of cross and crown are, according to grade, gilded, silver or bronze. The ribbon of the medal is white with red stripe in the middle and thin three-colour (blue-white-red) stripes at edges.


National Blood Centre  of Malaysia ( Malay language :  Pusat Darah Negara ; or its acronym,  PDN ) is a  Malaysia ’s premier blood centre for transfusion medicine and transplant. [ 1 ]


Blood Bank Services in Malaysia has been initiated by a group of women volunteers of British Red Cross in 1955. Initially, the service was open on Wednesdays from 5:00 pm to 5:30 pm at the Kuala Lumpur General Hospital. On this initiative, a total of 25 to 44 donors were collected every month. Donors at that time consisted of members of the police, military, and government personnel. [ citation needed ]


After 15 years of the start of the service, as much as 5,830 units of blood and no less than 13,860 successful compatibility tests were done. Due to the increasing need of the service, the blood centre was moved to another building at Hospital Kuala Lumpur in 1971. The building is known as "National Blood Service Center" and was inaugurated in April 1972 by the Director General of Health, Ministry of Health. The National Blood Service Centre was put under the Ministry of Health and chaired by a Director. The director was responsible for all the blood services that include donor recruitment, blood collection, processing, testing, inventory management, and clinical transfusion. [ citation needed ]


Starting in 1975, the Blood Services Center has played an important role in the standardization of work procedures, methodology, reagent and blood bank equipment in all new buildings negara. In 2002, National Blood Centre was built in Jalan Tun Razak and it was inaugurated by the Prime Minister  Mahathir Mohamad 's wife  Siti Hasmah Mohamad Ali . The building is stately and magnificent to date in ensuring the collection of blood and ensure a safe, clean and quality.


Creating and maintaining a safe blood donors. Provides blood, blood components that are safe, adequate and appropriate screening procedures in practice and storage in accordance with international standards. Ensure optimal patient care through the use of blood and blood products as appropriate. Establish and maintain cooperative relations through training, research and development in line with the needs of the practice and the latest technology in the medical field to date.


National Blood Donation Day  comes each year on September 4.  It is an observance during  National Blood Donation Week  and  campaign  that highlights the need for  blood .  Multiple states throughout the United States have their state  blood donation  day on this same day uniting the country in its effort to keep  blood banks  and hospitals stocked. [ 1 ] [ 2 ] [ 3 ]


In 2015, syndicated radio host and family physician  Daliah Wachs  asked  Nevada  Governor  Brian Sandoval  to create a Nevada Blood Donation Day to help the state raise blood and awareness. [ 4 ]  Uniting with  United Blood Services  and the  American Red Cross , Nevada Blood Donation Day held blood drives across the state, and its success prompted the campaign to continue in 2016.  During this year, blood shortages were being reported nationally. [ 5 ]   Daliah approached  Governors  in all 50 states to help proclaim state blood donation days, and United Blood Services, the American Red Cross and blood banks across the US joined forces to help bring this national campaign to light.  By September 2016, the majority of states had proclaimed state blood donation days.   Indiana  and  Arizona  proclaimed a  blood donation week  during this time and  Alaska  proclaimed the entire month of September Alaska Blood Drive Donor Challenge Month. [ 6 ] [ 7 ] [ 8 ] [ 9 ]


States with proclaimed Blood Donation Days on September 10 include: Oklahoma, Mississippi, New Mexico, Connecticut, North Dakota, North Carolina, Rhode Island, Indiana, Arkansas, Vermont, Utah, Montana, Louisiana, Alabama, Missouri, Massachusetts, Maryland, Maine, Oregon, Iowa, Florida, New Hampshire, Pennsylvania,  Minnesota , South Dakota, Washington, Georgia, West Virginia, Wisconsin, Illinois, Nebraska. [ 10 ] [ 11 ] [ 12 ] [ 13 ] [ 14 ] [ 15 ] [ 16 ] [ 17 ] [ 18 ] [ 19 ] [ 20 ]


The First Tuesday in September has been designated Michigan Blood Donation Day.


In 2017, National Blood Donation Day was September 8.  NBDD was able to raise blood needed for recovery efforts from Hurricanes  Harvey  and  Irma .


States who have already declared this date their Blood Donation Day include Alabama, Arkansas, Colorado, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Louisiana, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, Wisconsin, Wyoming.  Arizona declared Arizona Blood Donation Week September 4-10th. Maryland declared their blood donation day September 7.


In 2018, National Blood Donation Day was September 5.


States who have already declared this date their Blood Donation Day include Alabama, Arkansas, Colorado, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia and Wisconsin.


Arizona has proclaimed September 3–10 Arizona Blood Donation Week.
Oklahoma proclaimed the month of September Blood Donation Month.
Alaska proclaimed the month of July Blood Donation Month.


In 2019, National Blood Donation Day was September 5.


States who have already declared this date their Blood Donation Day include Alabama, Arkansas, Connecticut, Delaware, Georgia, Florida, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Maine, Maryland, Michigan, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Utah, Vermont, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin and Wyoming.


Arizona declared 9/2-9/9/19 Arizona Blood Donation Week


For 2020, National Blood Donation Week fell on 9/1/20-9/7/20, with National Blood Donation Day to be September 4. Despite many governor's offices dealing with limited staff and resources, with many "suspending proclamations," Governors in the following states proclaimed September 4 to be their state Blood Donation Day: Alabama, Colorado, Delaware, Florida, Hawaii, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland (September 5), Massachusetts, Michigan, Missouri, Montana, New Hampshire, New Jersey (September 5), New Mexico, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Utah, Vermont, Wisconsin and Wyoming, with Arizona proclaiming September 1-7 Arizona Blood Donation Week. [ 20 ]


In 2021, National Blood Donation Week is September 1–7, with National Blood Donation Day September 4 or 5th.
States who have declared this date as their State Blood Donation Day include: Alabama, Arkansas, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, West Virginia, Wisconsin, Wyoming.


Arizona has declared September 1–7 Arizona Blood Donation Week.


In 2022, National Blood Donation Week is September 1–7, with National Blood Donation Day on September 4. Governors in the following states are proclaiming September 4 to be their state Blood Donation Day: Arkansas, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin and Wyoming.


Alaska has proclaimed Alaska Blood Donation Week during 9/1-9/7.
Arizona has proclaimed Arizona Blood Donation Week during 9/1-9/7.


In 2023, National Blood Donation Week is September 1–7, with National Blood Donation Day on September 4. Governors in the following states are proclaiming September 4 to be their state Blood Donation Day:
Alabama, Arkansas, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Carolina, South Dakota, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin, Wyoming


Arizona has proclaimed Arizona Blood Donation Week during 9/1-9/7.


Alaska declared September 4-10th Alaska Blood Donation Week.


In 2024, Governors in the following states are proclaiming September 4 to be their state Blood Donation Day:  Alabama, Arkansas, Connecticut, Delaware, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Minnesota, Mississippi, Massachusetts, Michigan, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, South Dakota, Utah, Virginia, West Virginia, Wisconsin and Wyoming.


Alaska has declared September 1-7 Alaska Blood Donation Week.
Arizona has declared September 1–7 Arizona Blood Donation Week.
Colorado has declared September 1-7 Colorado Blood Donation Week.


The  National Donor Deferral Registry , also known as the (NDDR) is a database of individuals who have tested "reactive" for viral agents like  human immunodeficiency viruses (HIV) ,  Hepatitis B virus (HBV) , and  hepatitis C virus (HCV)  and are permanently prohibited from donating plasma. [ 1 ]  NDDR is a registered trademark of the Plasma Protein Therapeutics Association. U.S. regulations require organizations that collect plasma screens for viruses and flag donors and keep a list.  The NDDR was established in 1993.  This is to help plasma donation centers notify other centers of a donor who has tested positive for one of the listed viruses.


The NDDR is a confidential database that is used in North America and the United States to help provide the collection of safe plasma donation through  plasmapheresis .  When identifying information is matched in the registry, the donation center should not accept a person donation. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration lists the requirements for donor federal in 21 CFR § 610.41


In November 2020, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration reviewed a Section 510(k) premarket notification of a cloud-based version of the NDDR by Headspring Healthcare, Inc. [ 2 ]
The new web-based systems would allow


Each donation center is responsible for checking the NDDR prior to donation and uploading any positive or reactive tests for each donor. An International Quality Plasma Program (IQPP) facility is a lab that has agreed to the voluntary standards program of the PPTA. [ 3 ]


The  personally identifiable information  (PII) that is collected is "individual's donor ID, first and last name, middle initial birthdate and gender. The donor's social security number or INDS number."


The FDA has established rules under how a previously deferred donor may be able to requalify.  There are two methods which the FDA has adopted.


It was not until May 2010 when the FDA published a way for individuals to be requalified due to repeatedly reactive test for anti-HBC.  The FDA admitted that up to 21,500 people in the late 1980s and 1990s because of " false positive " tests results. The FDA estimated that almost 200,000 donors could be eligible for reentry. [ 4 ]


There is no central agency responsible for reviewing or correcting errors. Each company that inputs data into the NDDR must have a written procedure to correct errors.


A Woman in Des Moines, Iowa, was listed on the NDDR after having a 'reactive' test for HIV however, after additional testing was found to be negative for HIV. [ 5 ]


The  New Zealand Blood Service  (in  te reo Māori :  Te Ratonga Toto O Aotearoa ) is the provider of blood services for  New Zealand . The service is a Crown entity responsible to  New Zealand's Parliament  and is governed by a Board appointed by the Minister of Health. [ 3 ]


The New Zealand Blood Service (NZBS) was formed on 1 July 1998, when the Health Amendment Act 1998 was passed by Parliament. NZBS was created to provide the people of New Zealand with safe, appropriate and timely access to blood and tissue products and related services to meet their health needs. NZBS is responsible for the development of an integrated national  blood transfusion  process from the collection of blood from volunteer donors to the transfusion of  blood products  within the hospital environment – a 'vein to vein' transfusion service. [ 4 ]


Approximately 29,000 New Zealanders need blood or blood products every year [ 5 ]  and less than 4% of New Zealanders donate.


In November 2020, Organ Donation New Zealand became part of the NZBS. [ 6 ]


On 14 December 2020, the NZBS amended its donation policies to reduce the blood deferral period for gay and bisexual men as well as male sex workers from 12 to 3 months. [ 7 ] [ 8 ] [ 9 ]


On 4 October 2021, the New Zealand Heart Valve Bank became part of NZBS. [ 10 ]


In mid February 2024, the NZBS confirmed that it would lift the  mad cow disease  blood donation restriction from 29 February. This restriction had been in place since 2000 and had excluded people who had lived in the  United Kingdom ,  France  and  Ireland  between 1980 and 1996 for at least six months from donating blood and plasma in New Zealand. [ 11 ]


New Zealand Blood Service has three groups of key responsibilities and activities: [ 12 ]


New Zealand Blood Service plans and forecasts demand from hospitals and uses this to calculate the number of appointments and donations required for the week, based on blood type. Blood type is key, as donations are matched to the blood types of the patients being treated in hospitals.


Each year NZBS collects approximately 106,000 whole blood donations, 110,000 plasma donations and 18,000 units of platelets. [ 5 ]


NZBS has nine Donor Centres around New Zealand and runs over 300 mobile blood drives each year. The Donor Centres are in  Auckland  (Epsom, Manukau and North Shore),  Hamilton ,  Tauranga ,  Palmerston North ,  Wellington ,  Christchurch  and  Dunedin . Mobile blood drives take place in community halls, education centres and workplaces.  Whole blood  donors can donate at a mobile blood drive or any of the nine Donor Centres.  Plasma  and  platelet  donations require an  apheresis  machine and so can only be made at nine Donor Centres with these facilities.


In order to minimise risk for recipients of blood and blood products, NZBS has detailed eligibility criteria in place for potential donors. These include a donor's age, weight, health and travel history.


Blood donations are processed at  sites: Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch. These sites collectively process around 106,000 donations each year. [ 5 ]


Processing involves the separation of blood donations into blood components: red cells, platelets and plasma. Other types of donations such as stem cells and tissues are also processed and stored at these sites.


Accreditation testing is centralised in Auckland and Christchurch. Accreditation testing of all blood donations involves two distinct processes:  blood grouping  and screening for infectious markers.


Blood banks are the pre-transfusion testing laboratories where blood products are matched to suit each individual patient. This includes determining the patient's  blood type  and matching this with appropriate products. [ citation needed ]


Blood banks are always located at hospitals and are often staffed after hours to meet any urgent need for blood. NZBS operates six blood banks within hospitals across New Zealand. Within the 20  District Health Board  (DHB) Blood Bank laboratories also perform pre-transfusion testing in line with defined quality standards.


Percy Lane Oliver   OBE  (11 April 1878 – 16 April 1944) was a British civil servant, who is credited with founding the first volunteer  blood donation  service. [ 1 ] [ 2 ]  A layman, Oliver was working for the  Camberwell  division of the  Red Cross  in 1921 when he responded to a call from a local hospital requesting an urgent blood donation. This experience led him to organise a panel of donors whose blood types were known and who were available to donate on request. The donors, unusually for the time, were not paid. Oliver's blood donation service, which he ran out of his London home, would grow from 20 volunteers at its inception to approximately 2700 in 1938. His model of voluntary blood donation was adopted throughout Britain and in other countries.


Oliver, the son of two teachers, was born in  St. Ives, Cornwall  on 11 April 1878. [ 1 ]  His family moved to London five years later. At 14, he applied to join the  Civil Service , but despite placing first in the exam, he was denied admission on the basis of his "weak heart". [ 3 ] : 151   He then worked as a librarian for the  Camberwell Borough Council  and in 1901 took up a position with the  Camberwell Town Hall . He married Ethel Grace in 1905 and would go on to have three children with her. [ 1 ]


Oliver was one of the founding members of the Camberwell  Red Cross  division, and in 1910 was named its honorary secretary. [ 3 ] : 151   During the  First World War , the organisation helped rescue explosion victims. Oliver and Ethel also aided in rehoming  war refugees , and in 1918, the couple were appointed to the  Order of the British Empire . [ 1 ]


While Oliver had recognised the need for an organised network of blood donors as early as 1920, the beginnings of his transfusion service are generally dated to 1921. [ 1 ] [ 3 ] : 151  [ 4 ] : S97   In October of that year, [ 3 ] : 151   the Red Cross received a call from  King's College Hospital  in nearby  Denmark Hill  for an emergency blood transfusion. Oliver, along with three of his colleagues, volunteered to donate blood; one person's blood type was compatible with the patient's, and the transfusion was successful. This inspired Oliver to establish a panel of individuals with known blood types who were available to donate upon request. The panel, which initially consisted of 20 of Oliver's colleagues and operated out of his home, [ 5 ] : 53–4   grew to encompass 450 donors by 1926. [ 4 ] : S97   As demand for blood increased, many London  Rover Scouts  were enlisted as donors. [ 3 ] : 153


Internal struggles led Oliver to resign from his position with the Camberwell Red Cross at the end of 1925. The Camberwell transfusion service—which had previously been operating unofficially—was incorporated as the British Red Cross Blood Transfusion Service in 1926.  Geoffrey Keynes  was appointed as the organisation's medical advisor. [ 3 ] : 153–4   The transfusion service continued to operate out of Oliver's home; in 1928 its demands led the family to move to a larger property at 5 Colyton Road,  Peckham Rye , London. [ 1 ]


Prospective donors underwent physical health screening and testing for  syphilis , and—contrary to the practices of the time in the United States and much of England—were not paid. While paid donations carried a reputation of attracting a sometimes unsavoury clientele, Oliver emphasised that his donors were "drawn from all classes of the community – independent and professional men and women, barristers, journalists, shopmen and girls, labourers, apprentices, roadmen, maid servants and charwomen". [ 3 ] : 155–6  [ 5 ] : 54–6


The removal of payment from the equation also encouraged Oliver to institute more humane practices for the treatment of donors. The Red Cross Blood Transfusion Service banned the common, but painful and dangerous technique of "cutting down"—making a large incision in the arm to access the vein—and required that the donor be lying down during the blood collection. Oliver eschewed the perception of blood donors as heroes subjecting themselves to a dangerous ordeal, [ 3 ] : 155–6   and forbade contact between donors and patients, as he believed that "every donor should realise that he or she is a unit of an organisation created and functioning for the benefit of humanity generally, at the direction of surgeons, and not at the behest of a single individual". [ 4 ] : S97–8   In 1932, the Red Cross Blood Transfusion Service founded the Voluntary Blood Donors Association, which provided insurance for its donors, [ 3 ] : 157   organised social events and published a newsletter. [ 6 ]  By 1938, the service counted approximately 2700 donors among its ranks. [ 1 ]


Despite his lay origins, Oliver gained recognition as an authority on transfusion, [ 3 ] : 157   and his system of voluntary blood donation was adopted throughout Britain and in other countries. During the  Second World War  he was involved in the creation of a service for emergency blood transfusions, which, after the war (and Oliver's death), developed into a government-run national transfusion service. [ 1 ] [ 4 ] : S114


Oliver died of a heart attack at  St George's Hospital ,  Westminster  on 16 April 1944. [ 1 ]  The Oliver Memorial Fund, established upon his death, granted the Oliver Memorial Award to individuals—including laypeople—who have contributed to the field of  transfusion medicine . [ 2 ]  The  Royal College of Pathologists  also issues an "Oliver Memorial Trainee Bursary" each year since 1948.


English Heritage  commemorated Oliver's former home at 5 Colyton Road with a  plaque  in 1979. [ 7 ]


Order for the International Merit of Blood  is awarded by the  International Federation of Blood Donor Organizations  (IFBDO or FIODS) to personalities who made a special contribution to promote the regular, anonymous, voluntary, non-remunerated gift of blood in the world.


Proposals for award are sent to President who studies them and submits them to the Executive Council. According to IFBDO Rules of Procedure in force, except under exceptional circumstances, no more than four proposals per country can be submitted per meeting of the Executive Council. [ 1 ]


Plateletpheresis  (more accurately called  thrombocytapheresis  or  thrombapheresis , though these names are rarely used) is the process of collecting  thrombocytes , more commonly called platelets, a component of blood involved in  blood clotting .  The term specifically refers to the method of collecting the platelets, which is performed by a device used in  blood donation  that separates the platelets and returns other portions of the blood to the donor.   Platelet transfusion  can be a life-saving procedure in preventing or treating serious complications from bleeding and hemorrhage in patients who have disorders manifesting as  thrombocytopenia  (low platelet count) or platelet dysfunction.  This process may also be used therapeutically to treat disorders resulting in extraordinarily high platelet counts such as  essential thrombocytosis .


Platelet transfusions  are traditionally given to patients undergoing  chemotherapy  for  leukemia ,  multiple myeloma , those with  aplastic anemia ,  AIDS , hypersplenism,  idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura  (ITP),  sepsis , bone marrow transplant,  radiation treatment ,  organ transplant  or surgeries such as  cardiopulmonary bypass . Platelet transfusions should be avoided in those with  thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura  (TTP) because it can worsen neurologic symptoms and  acute renal failure , presumably due to creation of new thrombi as the platelets are consumed. It should also be avoided in patients with  heparin-induced thrombocytopenia  (HIT) or  disseminated intravascular coagulation  (DIC). [ citation needed ]


In adults, platelets are recommended in those who have levels less than 10,000/μL, or less than 20,000/μL if a  central venous catheter  is being placed, or less than 50,000/μL if a  lumbar puncture  or major surgery is required. [ 1 ]


Not all platelet transfusions use platelets collected by automated apheresis.  The platelets can also be separated from donations of  whole blood  collected in a traditional  blood donation , but there are several advantages to separating the platelets at the time of collection.  The first advantage is that the whole-blood platelets, sometimes called "random" platelets, from a single donation are not numerous enough for a dose to give to an adult patient.  They must be pooled from several donors to create a single transfusion, and this complicates processing and increases the risk of  diseases  that can be spread in transfused blood, such as  human immunodeficiency virus . [ citation needed ]


Collecting the platelets from a single donor also simplifies  human leukocyte antigen  (HLA) matching, which improves the chance of a successful transfusion.  Since it is time-consuming to find compatible donors for HLA-matched transfusions, collecting a full dose from a single donor is more practical than finding multiple compatible donors. [ citation needed ]


Plateletpheresis products are also easier to test for bacterial contamination, a leading cause of transfusion-associated deaths. [ citation needed ]   Pooling of whole blood platelets is often done in an "open" system where the platelet containers are connected in a way that could expose the platelets to air, and pooled platelets must be transfused promptly so that any contamination does not have time to grow. [ citation needed ]


Problems with apheresis include the expense of the equipment used for collection. Whole blood platelets also do not require any additional donor recruitment, as they can be made from blood donations that are also used for  packed red blood cells  and  plasma  components. [ citation needed ]


Recipients in this category include those undergoing chemotherapy, those with  myelophthisic anemia ,  AIDS , or with  aplastic anemia . If indicated, transfusions (one thrombapheresis concentrate) should be given until recovery of platelet function, generally approximately twice weekly. Surgical bleeding due solely to thrombocytopenia occurs when platelets < 50,000/μL while spontaneous bleeding occurs when platelets < 10,000/μL. Thrombocytopenic patients can develop "dry" bleeding, that is,  petechiae  and  ecchymoses  only. They will not suffer fatal hemorrhagic events unless they first have extensive mucosal bleeding, or "wet" bleeding. Therefore, in those with no bleeding or only "dry" bleeding, the threshold for transfusion should be between 5,000 and 10,000/μL. A more conservative threshold of 20,000/μL should be used in those with a fever or other risk factors for bleeding. Those with active bleeding or prior to surgery should have a threshold of 50,000/μL. An unconfirmed, but helpful, way to determine whether a patient is recovering from chemotherapy-induced thrombocytopenia is to measure "reticulated" platelets, or young RNA-containing platelets, which signifies that the patient is starting to make new platelets. [ citation needed ]


Recipients in this category include those with idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura or drug-induced thrombocytopenia. Platelet transfusions are generally not recommended for this group of patients because the underlying cause involves antibodies that destroy platelets, therefore any newly transfused platelets will also be destroyed. Platelet transfusion may be used in emergency bleeding situations where the platelets could be used by the body before the immune system destroys them.


Disorders of platelet function can be congenital or acquired. Most of these disorders are mild and may respond to therapy with  desmopressin  (dDAVP). Transfusion is not necessarily required. However, with some more severe disorders such as  Glanzmann thrombasthenia , transfusions with large amount of platelets may be needed. The number of transfusions may be reduced if these patients are given  recombinant human factor VIIa [ medical citation needed ]  since the underlying cause are antibodies to platelet  glycoproteins IIb/IIIa .


Cardiopulmonary bypass surgery  can result in destruction of a large proportion of the patient's platelets and may render the remaining viable platelets dysfunctional. The indications for transfusion in such patients is controversial. General guidelines recommend not transfusing patients prophylactically but only when they are bleeding excessively, while also giving desmopressin. [ citation needed ]


The most common of these is  aspirin , and its similar drug class, the  NSAIDs . Other anti-platelet drugs are commonly prescribed for patients with acute coronary syndromes such as  clopidogrel  and  ticlopidine . When surgery is undertaken following the administration of these drugs, bleeding can be serious. Transfusion under these circumstances is not clear-cut and one has to use clinical judgment.


Platelet count increase as well as platelet survival after transfusion is related to the dose of platelets infused and to the patient's body surface area (BSA). Usually these values are less than what would be expected.


The theoretical value of the CCI is 20,000/μL but clinically, the value is closer to 10,000/μL. If the CCI is less than 5,000/μL, patients are said to have "refractoriness" to platelet transfusion.


The separation of individual  blood components  is done with a specialized  centrifuge  (see  apheresis ). The earliest manual forms of thrombapheresis are done by the separation of platelets from multiple bags of  whole blood  collected from donors or blood sellers. Since each blood bag (usually 250 mL or 500 mL) contains a relatively small number of platelets, it can take as many as a dozen blood bags (usually from five to ten bags, depending on the size of the blood bags and each donor's platelet count) to accumulate a single unit of platelets (enough for one patient). This greatly increases the risks of the transfusion. Each unit of platelets separated from donated whole blood is called a "platelet concentrate". [ citation needed ]


Modern automatic thrombapheresis allows blood donors to give a portion of their platelets, while keeping their  red blood cells  and at least a portion of  blood plasma . Therefore, no more than three units of platelets are generally harvested in any one sitting from a donor.  Most donors will donate a "single" or "double" unit, however the occurrence of "triples" has been increasing as more suitable donors are recruited. [ citation needed ]


Because platelets have a shelf life of just five days, more platelet donors are always needed.  Some centers are experimenting with seven-day platelets, but this requires additional testing and the lack of any preservative solutions means that the product is far more effective when fresh.


Even though red blood cells can also be collected in the process, many blood donation organizations do not do so because it takes much longer for the human body to replenish their loss. In addition, some (though not all) centers defer further platelet donations until the red blood cells can be replenished.


In most cases, blood plasma is returned to the donor as well. However, in locations that have plasma processing facilities, a part of the donor's plasma can also be collected in a separate blood bag (see  plasmapheresis ). For example, in Australia around 5.9×10 11  platelets and 580 mL of plasma might be collected from an 88 kg donor.


Due to their higher  relative density , white blood cells are collected as an unwanted component with the platelets. Since it takes up to 3 liters of whole blood (the amount of a dozen blood bags) to generate a dose of platelets, white blood cells from one or several donors will also be collected along with the platelets. A 70 kg (154 lb) man has only about 6 liters of blood. If all of the incidentally collected white blood cells are transfused with the platelets, substantial rejection problems can occur. Therefore, it is standard practice to filter out white blood cells before transfusion by the process of  leukoreduction .


Early platelet transfusions used a filter to remove white blood cells at the time of transfusion. It takes a trained person about 10 minutes to assemble the equipment, and this is not the safest or most efficient means of filtration because living white blood cells can release  cytokines  during storage and dead white blood cells can break up into smaller fragments that can still stimulate a dangerous response from the immune system. In addition, simple filtration can lead to increased risks of infection and loss of valuable platelets. Newer, more advanced thrombapheresis machines can filter white blood cells during separation. [ citation needed ]


For example, with marginally acceptable whole blood (white blood cells: < 10,000/mm³; platelets: > 150,000/mm³), a dose (3×10 11 ) of platelets comes with about 2×10 10  white blood cells. This can seriously damage the patient's health. A dose of single-donor platelets prepared using latest filters can contain as little as 5×10 6  white blood cells.


There are two types of manual platelet apheresis.  Platelet-rich plasma  (PRP) is widely used in North America and  buffy coat  (BC) is more widely used in Europe.


Platelets  are the clotting cells of the blood. Platelet donation therapy is frequently needed by cancer patients, because  chemotherapy  for such patients can render them unable to generate platelets of their own.


The basic principles of automatic platelet  apheresis  are the same as in the manual procedure, but the whole procedure is performed by a computer-controlled machine. Since the donor's blood is processed in a sterile single-use centrifuge, the unwanted components can be returned to the donor safely. This allows the apheresis machine to repeat the draw-centrifuge-return cycle to obtain more platelets. The bulk of the machine and the length of the donation process means most platelet donations are done in blood centers instead of mobile blood drives.


Each country has its own rules to protect the safety of both donor and recipient. In a typical set of rules, a platelet donor must weigh at least 50 kg (110 lb) and have a platelet count of at least 150 x 10 9 /L (150,000 platelets per mm³). [ 2 ]


One unit has greater than 3×10 11  platelets. Therefore, it takes 2 liters of blood having a platelet count of 150,000/mm³ to produce one unit of platelets. Some regular donors have higher platelet counts (over 300,000/mm³); for those donors, it only takes about one liter of their blood to produce a unit. Since the machine used to perform the procedure uses suction to draw blood out of a donor's body, some people who can give whole blood may have veins too small for platelet donation.


Blood accounts for about 8% of body weight, so a 50 kg (110 lb) donor has about four liters of blood. No more than 50% of a donor's platelets are ever extracted in one sitting, and they can be replenished by the body in about three days.


Most newer apheresis machines can separate a maximum donation of platelets in about 60 to 120 minutes depending on the donor's health condition.


After a short  physical examination  which usually involves checking the donor's height, weight,  body temperature ,  blood pressure ,  pulse rate ,  haemoglobin concentration , etc., the donor is taken into the donation room and sits in a reclining chair next to the machine. The technician cleans one or both arms with  iodine ,  chlorhexidine  or other disinfectant, and inserts the  catheter  into a  vein  in the arm. With some procedures both arms are used, one to draw blood and the other to return it. The process takes about one to two hours while blood is pulled into the machine, mixed with an anticoagulant such as  sodium citrate , spun around, and returned to the donor. "Double needle" procedures using both arms tend to be shorter since the blood is drawn and returned through different catheters; with "single needle" procedures a set volume is drawn and processed in the first part of the cycle and returned in the second part. The donor's blood undergoes repeated cycles of draw and return.


Side effects of the donation of platelets generally fall into three categories: blood pressure changes, problems with vein access, and effects of the anticoagulant on the donor's calcium level. Blood pressure changes can sometimes cause nausea, fatigue, and dizziness. Venous access problems can cause bruising, referred to as a  hematoma . While donating, a supply of calcium  antacid  tablets is usually kept close by to replenish the calcium lost. Because the anticoagulant works by binding to the  calcium  in the blood, a donor's levels of calcium – and especially of active calcium ions – drop during the donation process. The lips may begin to tingle or there may be a metallic taste; since calcium enables the function of the nervous system, nerve-ending-dense areas (such as the lips) are susceptible, at least during the donation process. Unusually low calcium can cause more serious problems such as fainting, nerve irritation [ citation needed ]  and short-duration  tetany . Such an acute  hypocalcaemia  is usually due to low calcium levels prior to donation, aggravated by the anticoagulant. Hypocalcaemia can be curtailed by modestly increasing dietary calcium intake in the days prior to donation. Serious problems are extremely rare, but apheresis donors are typically not allowed to sleep during the long donation process so that they can be monitored. [ citation needed ]


Aside from the procedure, donating platelets is different from donating blood in a few ways.


Firstly, the donor must not take  aspirin  or other anti- platelet  medications such as  clopidogrel  (Plavix) for anywhere from 36 to 72 hours prior to donation (guidelines vary by blood center). (Aspirin can prevent platelets from adhering to clot bleeding.) Some blood centers also prohibit the taking of any  non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug  (NSAID) for 36 hours prior.


Secondly, platelet donations are allowed anywhere from every 3 to 28 days. This is in contrast to whole-blood donation, which has an eight-week (or longer) waiting period. Along those lines, since platelet donation temporarily removes whole blood from the body, it may be necessary to wait eight weeks after a whole blood donation to donate platelets, although two weeks is more common. In the US, a donor is allowed to donate platelets every seven days, but not more than 24 times during any 365-day period and may not lose more red blood cells or plasma during that period than they would from the maximum allowable number of whole blood donations. [ 3 ]  In India, as per Ministry of Health, the blood donation interval criteria for apheresis requires at least 48 hours interval after platelet- or plasma-apheresis. Any donation should not be done more than two times a week and should be limited to 24 times in one year. [ 4 ] [ 5 ]


Thirdly, additional tests may be required before becoming a donor for the first time. These tests may establish a platelet count. Newer automated platelet pheresis machines do that as the donation begins, and adjust accordingly the quantity of platelets to be drawn. Tests may also determine the donor's compatibility with particular recipients through a  human leukocyte antigen  (HLA) test.  Multiparous  women may be excluded from becoming donors due to heightened  TRALI  risk. These tests usually involve nothing more involved than the drawing of several tubes of blood.


Adverse conditions that can happen during a plateletpheresis donation are  hypocalcemia ,  hematoma  formation, and  vasovagal  reactions.  The risk of these conditions is normally reduced by pre-donation education of the donors and change of apheresis machine configuration. [ 6 ]


Repeated platelet donations at short intervals will cause the venipuncture site to scar. While cosmetically it is virtually invisible, the scarring also occurs on the vein itself, making it harder to insert a needle on future occasions. Anecdotal reports have said that rubbing  vitamin E  oil (or the insides of a vitamin E capsule) on the venipuncture site may reduce scarring. [ citation needed ]  However, a study conducted by the  University of Miami  Department of Dermatology and Cutaneous Surgery in 1999 demonstrated no positive effect from the application of topical vitamin E. [ 7 ]


Rotary Blood Bank  is India's largest  blood bank , located in the Tughlakabad Institutional Area,  New Delhi ,  India . [ 1 ]


Rotary Blood Bank was established in 2002 and is under the supervision of the Central Government. [ 2 ]  In September 2021, Rotary revealed its plan to extend its services to other parts of the country. It has blood banks in cities including  Kakinada ,  Hyderabad , and  Visakhapatnam . [ 3 ]
The blood bank signed an MoU with  Shri Vishwakarma Skill University  for providing certificate programme in phlebotomy technician and OJT in medical lab technology programmes. [ 4 ]


At the 56-57 Tughlakabad Institutional Area facility are available collection stations for 5-50 people giving  blood donations  at a time.


Rotary collects blood from organized groups e.g.  Colleges  and  Organizations , where any person can donate blood. Blood collections are collected by two Mini Buses which provide a mobile  medical facility . [ 5 ]


After collection of blood from in-house/camp, it is processed in the lab; where an erst while state-of-art facility is available after initial screening. Here blood separated in major three components e.g.  Red cells ,  Plasma  and  Platelets . In last few years there is a large demand for Platelets from September to December to treat  Dengue fever .  [ citation needed ]


Sankalp India Foundations  is a Bangalore-based  non-government organisation . [ 1 ]  It is a youth organisation working for blood donation,  thalassemia ,  bone marrow transplantation  and disaster relief. [ citation needed ]


Since 2003, [ 2 ]  it has been working for voluntary blood donation in Karnataka. A blood helpline is run by the organisation. [ 3 ]  It also organizes several  blood donation  camps. It is one of the pioneer organisations which helps patients worldwide with a rare blood group "Bombay Blood Group" (also known as  hh blood group ). [ 4 ]


Sankalp India Foundation has done extensive work in the areas of quality and safety of blood donation camps, studying the extent of non-compliance [ 5 ]  and adverse donor events [ 6 ]  blood banks in voluntary blood donation camps.


Sankalp India Foundation runs several day care centers across South and West India for patients suffering from  Thalassemia  and related blood disorders .


The StopThalassemia campaign is an initiative of Sankalp India Foundation to strengthen Thalassemia prevention by focusing on antenatal screening. The campaign provides screening services to pregnant women and their husbands in the first trimester of their pregnancy. The following maternity centres are part of the StopThalassemia Campaign:


Sankalp also participates in disaster relief activities. A few of the disasters in which it participated for relief are the  Tsunami on the Indian sub continent , [ 10 ]  Karnataka floods, Sikkim earthquake, J&K earthquake, and the Assam floods. [ 11 ]


Sankalp India Foundation has been offering bone marrow transplantation for patients suffering from thalassemia. The organisation started the first bone marrow transplantation center In collaboration with People Tree Hospitals and Cure2Children Foundation, Italy in Bangalore in August 2015. [ 12 ]  In May 2017, the organisation has started a new bone marrow transplantation center in collaboration with  Care Institute of Medical Science , Ahmedabad.
In November 2017 Sankalp got into an understanding with MY Hospital, Indore for the new Bone Marrow Transplantation Program which started in March 2018. [ 13 ]   a new centre was started in Bangalore in June 2021 at Bhagwan Mahaveer Jain Hospital, Bangalore. The organisation has done more than 500 transplants for patients with thalassemia until December 2022.


Simply Blood  is an online blood donation platform which connects blood donors using its  Android  mobile applications and website. Simply Blood is world's first virtual blood donation platform having more than 10,000 registered users from more than 180 countries. [ citation needed ]


Founded by  Kiran Verma , Delhi, India in 2016 along with five college passouts from Ambala District, Haryana launched Simply Blood app on January 29, 2017, in Delhi. [ citation needed ]  The founder of the platform is a school dropout and other were all software engineers passed out from the same college. Simply Blood was founded to solve the blood donation problem and curb black marketing of blood in India.


Simply Blood has launched an Android mobile app (applications) only. The second version of the app was released by  Vijay Goel , former Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports in  India  on September 23, 2017. [ 1 ] [ 2 ]


They have launched a realtime GPS enabled application which allows a person to raise a blood request without sharing the contact details in public and blood donors can see all the nearby blood requests near his/her current location to accept the blood request. After accepting the blood request the donor and requester will get each other's number in less than few seconds. Blood donors who wanted to donate blood on some specific date can register themselves and select a suitable date from the "Apps" to donate blood and save a life.


Tara Devi Tuladhar  ( Nepali :  तारादेवी तुलाधर ) (21 August 1931 – 27 November 2012) was Nepal's first female blood donor and a social worker who dedicated her life to serving society. [ 1 ] [ 2 ]


Tara Devi was born to an old merchant family at Tanlāchhi (तंलाछि),  Kathmandu . Her father  Triratna Man Tuladhar  was a  Lhasa Newar  trader. Her grandfather  Dharma Man Tuladhar  was a philanthropist best known for renovating the  Swayambhu stupa  in 1918. [ 3 ]


There were only a few schools in the 1930s as the  Rana  regime did not want ordinary citizens to get an education. For girls, it was even more difficult to join school. So Tara Devi received informal tuition at home. [ 4 ]


In 1948, her family sent her to study at St. Josephs's Convent in  Kalimpong ,  India . Returning to Kathmandu, she joined Kanya High School and finished 10th grade. In 1953, she went to  Allahabad , India and enrolled at  Kamla Nehru Memorial Hospital  to pursue her long cherished goal to become a nurse. Two years later, she received her Diploma in Midwifery.


She had been inspired to become a nurse by the tales she had heard as a child about how nurse  Vidyabati Kansakar  had cared for the injured during the  great earthquake of 1934  in Kathmandu. [ 5 ]


In 1960, Tara Devi began service at Prasuti Griha Maternity Hospital, Kathmandu. After doing her Post Graduate in Nursing from the College of Nursing,  New Delhi  in 1964, she became a senior tutor at Nursing School in Kathmandu. [ citation needed ]


In 1961, she became the first female blood donor in Nepal by donating blood to a patient who was due for surgery and required blood urgently. [ 6 ]  She was the supervisor at  Tribhuvan University  Teaching Hospital before she retired in 1990. [ 7 ]


After her retirement, Tara Devi worked as a volunteer at Dharmakirti Vihar, a  Theravada Buddhist   nunnery  in Kathmandu, and used her skills as a trained nurse in the service of the resident nuns and the needy people who came there seeking help. As the coordinator of its health service, she organized free health care every week besides providing training on the care of patients and the elderly. She was also a life member of the Dharmakirti Vihar Conservation Trust. [ 8 ]


Tara Devi volunteered at Jana Chikitsalaya, a community clinic in Kathmandu. Besides serving as an executive board member of Paropakar Organisation, the first modern charitable organization in Nepal which was established in 1952, [ 9 ]  she was an adviser to Udaaya Samaj, a social organization of the  Uray  community. Tara Devi remained unmarried to be free to pursue her profession.


Tara Devi has authored two books, one in  Nepali  and the other in  Nepal Bhasa .


The  Welsh Blood Service  is a division of  Velindre University NHS Trust  responsible for the collection of  blood  in  Wales , and of the distribution of blood products to hospitals within the country, as well as other related functions. [ 1 ]


The service was established in 1946. At that time the only test carried out was for syphilis. Since then more than 10 million units of blood have been donated in Wales. [ 2 ]


The Welsh Blood Service's roles include [ citation needed ]


On 2 May 2016 the Welsh Blood Service became a national service and began collecting and distributing blood in North Wales. [ 3 ]  Previously to this, the service covered Mid, South and West Wales, with  NHS Blood and Transplant , covering North Wales. [ 4 ]


The  research and development  activity within the  Welsh Blood Service   Archived  9 July 2017 at the  Wayback Machine  supports a broad range of healthcare topics. [ 5 ]  Its four research themes,  Transplantation ,  Donor Care and Public Health ,  Products  and  Therapies  reflect the spectrum of this work. In 2017 the Welsh Blood Service published its  Research and Development Strategy , which details its planned expansion of activity into collaborative work and engaging in regenerative and personalised medicine fields. [ citation needed ]


World Blood Donor Day  ( WBDD ) is  held  on  June 14  each year. The event was organised for the first time in 2004, by four core international organizations: the  World Health Organization , the  International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies ; the  International Federation of Blood Donor Organizations  (IFBDO) and the  International Society of Blood Transfusion  (ISBT) to  raise awareness  of the need for safe  blood  and  blood products , and to thank  blood donors  for their  voluntary , life-saving gifts of blood. [ 1 ]  World Blood Donor Day is one of 11 official  global public health  campaigns marked by the  World Health Organization  (WHO), along with  World Health Day ,  World Chagas Disease Day ,  World Tuberculosis Day ,  World Immunization Week ,  World Patient Safety Day ,  World Malaria Day ,  World No Tobacco Day ,  World Hepatitis Day , World Antimicrobial Awareness Week and  World AIDS Day . [ 2 ]


Transfusion of blood  and blood products helps and save millions of lives every year. It can help patients who are suffering from life-threatening conditions live longer and with higher  quality of life , and supports complex medical and surgical procedures. It also has an essential, life-saving role in maternal and  perinatal care . Access to safe and sufficient blood and blood products can help reduce rates of death and disability due to severe bleeding during delivery and after childbirth. [ 3 ]


In many countries, there is not an adequate supply of safe blood, and blood services face the challenge of making sufficient blood available, while also ensuring its quality and safety. [ 4 ]


An adequate supply can only be assured through regular donations by voluntary unpaid blood donors. The WHO's goal is for all countries to obtain all their blood supplies from voluntary unpaid donors by 2020. In 2014, 60 countries have their national blood supplies based on 99-100% voluntary unpaid blood donations, with 73 countries still largely dependent on family and paid donors. [ 5 ]


World Blood Donor Day is celebrated every year by people around the world on June 14. It is celebrated on the birthday anniversary of  Karl Landsteiner  on June 14, 1868. [ 6 ]  Landsteiner was awarded the  Nobel Prize  for his discovery of the ABO blood group system. [ 7 ]


Blood is a necessary resource for the planned treatments and the urgent interventions. It is helpful for patients who are suffering from life-threatening conditions for living longer and with a higher quality of life. It supports complex medical and surgical procedures. [ 8 ] [ 9 ]


The theme for World Blood Donor Day 2024 is "20 years of celebrating giving: thank you blood donors!".


The theme for World Blood Donor Day 2023 was “Give Blood, Give  Plasma , Share Life, Share Often”. This theme reflects the important role blood donors play in maintaining the health and well-being of communities around the world.


The theme for Blood Donor Day 2022 was 'Blood donation is an act of  solidarity . Join the effort and save lives'. This year, the global event on blood donor day was hosted by Mexico on June 14, 2022. [ 10 ]


The theme for Blood Donation Day 2021 was 'Give Blood and keep the world beating'. [ 11 ]


The theme for Blood Donation Day 2020 was 'Safe Blood Saves Lives'. The Slogan of "Blood Donation Day 2020" was 'Give Blood And Make The World A Healthier Place'. [ 12 ]  This year WHO announced a virtual rally for COVID-19 pandemic. [ 13 ]


The theme for Blood Donation Day in 2019 was 'Safe Blood For All'. [ 14 ] [ 15 ]


The theme for Blood Donation Day in 2018 was "Be there for someone else. Give blood. Share life." [ 16 ]


The theme for Blood Donation Day in 2017 focused on blood donation in emergency situations.  The first response when an emergency happens is "What Can You Do?" and the answer is "Give Blood. Give Now. Give Often" which is taken by World Health Organization. [ 17 ]


The theme of the World Blood Donor Day, blood connects us all, highlights the notions of "sharing" and "connection" amongst blood donors and patients. The WBDD 2016 focused on thanking blood donors while emphasizing the role of the voluntary donation. The 2016 campaign brought to light the stories of the different people saved through blood donation to promote awareness and inspire people to donate. [ 18 ]


The host country of WBDD 2016 was The Netherlands. [ 19 ]   Williem-Alexander , the king of the Netherlands, opened the ceremony by thanking donors. [ 20 ]


It emphasizes thanking of blood donors who save lives every day through their blood donations and inspires more people all over the world to donate blood voluntarily and regularly with the slogan “Give freely, give often". Blood donation matters. This year campaign pays attention to stories from people whose lives have been saved through blood donation. Activities include memorable events, meetings, publication of relevant stories on media, scientific conferences, publication of articles on national, regional and international scientific journals, and other activities that would help in encouraging the title of this year's World Blood Donor Day. [ 21 ]
The host country for World Blood Donor Day 2015 is China through its blood center in Shanghai, [ 22 ]  Shanghai Blood Centre, also the  WHO  Collaborating Center for Blood Transfusion Services. [ 21 ]


The focus of the WBDD 2014 campaign was “Safe blood for saving mothers”. The goal of the campaign was to increase awareness about why timely access to safe blood and blood products is essential for all countries, as part of a comprehensive approach to prevent maternal deaths. [ citation needed ]


According to the World Health Organization, 800 women die every day from pregnancy and childbirth-related complications. [ 23 ]  Severe bleeding is the cause of 34% of maternal deaths in Africa, 31% in Asia and 21% in Latin America and the Caribbean.


The global host for the WBDD 2014 event was  Sri Lanka . [ 24 ]  Through its  national blood transfusion service , Sri Lanka promotes voluntary unpaid donation to increase access to safe and sufficient blood and blood products.


The focus for the WBDD 2013 campaign – which marked the 10th anniversary of World Blood Donor Day – was blood donation as a gift that saves lives. The WHO encouraged all countries to highlight stories from people whose lives have been saved through blood donation, as a way of motivating regular blood donors to continue giving blood and people in good health who have never given blood, particularly young people, to begin doing so.


The host country for World Blood Donor Day 2013 was  France . Through its national blood service, the Etablissement Français du Sang (EFS), France has been promoting voluntary non-remunerated blood donation since the 1950s. [ 25 ]


The 2012 campaign focused on the idea that any person can become a hero [ 26 ]  by giving blood. Blood cannot yet be  manufactured artificially , so voluntary blood donation remains vital for healthcare worldwide. Many anonymous blood donors save lives every day through their blood donations. [ citation needed ]


Youth For Blood  (YFB) is a youth-led, non-profit, and service motivated circle of youths devoted to the welfare of blood donors and seekers in Nepal. Established in 2011 in Biratnagar, it has extended its network to 13 different cities and is still growing. One of the main objective of the organization is to manage fresh blood for people in need for free: YFB has saved over 4500 lives by managing over 6000 pints of blood and 3000 standby donors. Currently, YFB has a network of more than 50,000 blood donors throughout Nepal, 15,000 of which are registered blood donors while the remaining are people who can be reached through social networks. [ 2 ]


Youth For Blood was established after a real event that took place with two college students named Saroj Karki and his friend Jogendra Urau. On the night of 27 May 2011, Jogendra Urau was in need of blood for his maternal uncle, who was suffering from  tuberculosis . He tried his best to manage blood for his uncle but could not succeed alone. He then made a call to his colleague Saroj Karki and asked for some help. Karki made many attempts to manage blood or a blood donor but he too was unsuccessful. After so many efforts, on next day, while Karki was travelling to his office, he met one of his colleagues named Dashrath Shah. Karki asked him about his blood group. In reply, Shah said he belongs to the same group that Urau's uncle needed. Next day while Shah was on his way to office, Karki met him. Karki described the entire situation to him. Shah, considering the sensitivity of the situation agreed to donate blood. Soon Shah donated blood. This was the first successful coordination of Youth For Blood but yet YFB was not officially registered. [ 3 ]


After managing blood for his friend’s uncle, Saroj Karki felt a need an organization that hel. He realized that this could be one of the ways to serve the society and felt this must be made a campaign. Karki launched a Facebook page named  Youth For Blood  and started to facilitate blood for other needy people with the help of social media. The page helped conduct online facilitation of blood till the registration of Youth For Blood. After one month of solitary efforts, Karki shared this campaign in a group of 60 colleagues and asked to join him but only four colleagues in the group positively responded. After that, they actively continued the campaign. They started meeting regularly and also tried to persuade and influence others to come and join them. A young energetic service motive team full of determination, dedication formed. Due to the lack of resources, they held their meetings at different public places of Biratnagar like Aarohan Gurukul (a Theatre), Paropakar Ghat (a Graveyard), Shahid Rangasala (a Stadium), etc. Finally, at last they succeed to register themselves as a legal social organization with ad hoc President Nirmal Sharma. [ 4 ]


The  American Society of Hematology  ( ASH ) is a professional organization representing  hematologists , founded in 1958. Its annual meeting is held in December of every year and has attracted more than 30,000 attendees. [ 1 ]  The society publishes the  medical journal   Blood , the most cited peer-reviewed publication in the field, [ 2 ]  and  Blood Advances , an online, peer-reviewed open-access journal. [ 3 ] [ 4 ]


The first official ASH meeting was held in  Atlantic City, New Jersey , in April 1958. More than 300 hematologists met together to discuss the key research and clinical issues related to blood and  blood diseases . Since the first gathering, ASH has been an important member in the development of hematology as a discipline. For more than six decades, ASH has sponsored its annual meeting. Today, ASH has more than 17,000 members, [ 4 ]  many of whom have made major advancements in understanding and treating blood diseases.


Held each year in December, the annual meeting brings together hematologists from around the world to discuss hematology. During the four-day meeting, several educational programs and scientific sessions are held. The annual meeting also features oral and poster presentations that are chosen by peer-reviewers from abstracts submitted prior to the meeting and contain developments in scientific research. Plenary symposia and named lectures on specialized areas of hematology are also presented throughout the meeting program. More than 21,000 clinicians, scientists, and others attend. [ citation needed ]


ASH receives financial support from, and collaborates with, a number of  pharmaceutical companies . Notable corporate partners include  AbbVie ,  Amgen ,  AstraZeneca ,  Bayer ,  Bristol Myers Squibb ,  Eli Lilly and Company ,  Genentech ,  GlaxoSmithKline ,  Janssen Pharmaceuticals ,  Merck ,  Novo Nordisk ,  Pfizer ,  Regeneron Pharmaceuticals ,  Sanofi ,  Takeda Pharmaceuticals  and  Vertex Pharmaceuticals . [ 5 ]


The  American Society of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology  (abbreviated  ASPHO ) is an American multidisciplinary professional organization dedicated to improving care in the medical disciplines of  pediatric   hematology  and  oncology . [ 1 ]  As of 2018, it had 2,000 members. [ 2 ]


The American Society of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology was founded in 1981, largely because of the efforts of physician Carl Pochedly, who served as its secretary-treasurer for fourteen years. After holding meetings jointly with the  American Pediatric Society  and the  Society for Pediatric Research , the ASPHO held its first independent meeting in  Chicago ,  Illinois , in 1988. [ 3 ]  The society was incorporated in the state of Illinois in 1989. [ 2 ]


Since 2004, the official journal of ASPHO has been  Pediatric Blood & Cancer . Its official journal was originally the  Journal of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology , which was established by Pochedly in 1979 as the  American Journal of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology . [ 2 ]


The  British Society for Haematology  is a  registered charity  founded in 1960 for professionals specialising in  haematology , the medical specialism covering blood disorders including cancers. [ 1 ]  Apart from representing the interests of its members, it publishes the  British Journal of Haematology  and the  open-access journal   EJHaem , and issues guidelines on  haematological conditions . [ 2 ]


Full membership to the society is open to all but usually consists of senior haematology professionals, including consultants, senior lecturers, senior scientists and  Allied Health Professionals  at band 8b and above. Full membership also requires payment of an annual membership fee.


A reduced fee full membership is also available for established haematology professionals, including Specialty Trainees, Academic Clinical Fellows, residents of Low-and-Middle-Income Countries, Specialty Doctors, Post-doctoral researchers and scientists and Allied Health Professionals of bands 8a.


Associate membership is available for undergraduate and full-time post-graduate students,  foundation doctors , core trainees, IM trainees, STP trainees, nurses and allied health professionals up to and including Band 7. It is also available for retired professionals that wish to access the  British Journal of Haematology  or vote in Society elections. [ 3 ]


The  British Journal of Haematology  ( BJH ) is the official journal of the British Society for Haematology. The  BJH  is a  peer-reviewed medical journal  that has been in publication since 1955. The Journal publishes original  research papers  in clinical, laboratory and experimental haematology, helping clinicians and staff in the field keep up to date with the latest recommendations, developments, and protocols.


The BSH has launched an  open access journal ,  EJHaem , with Professor Andrew M Evens appointed as Editor-in-chief. This is the society's second official journal and is co-owned and published by  Wiley . This Gold Open Access journal aims to provide an additional home for those wishing to publish haematology research on an Open Access basis. The EJHaem accepts direct submissions, as well as content cascaded from the  British Journal of Haematology .


The British Society for Haematology produces its  guidelines . These guidelines are written by expert consultants and clinical scientists currently practising in the UK. The guidelines provide up-to-date  evidence-based  guidance on the diagnosis and treatment of haematological diseases.


They provide three different styles of guidelines:


BSH Guideline:  Evidence-based guidelines developed following a professional literature search and a review of the evidence by the writing group.


BSH Good Practice Paper:   Used to recommend good practice in areas where there is a less robust evidence base but for which a degree of consensus or uniformity is likely to be beneficial to patient care.


BSH Position Paper:  The adoption and adaptation of a non-UK evidence-based guideline for use in the UK.


Annual Scientific Meeting


Every year the BSH holds an annual scientific meeting (ASM) at different locations within the United Kingdom. The 2019 ASM was held at the  Scottish Event Campus  in Glasgow. The meetings usually host internationally renowned expert speakers, a range of sessions discussing specialist topics, and innovative debates. In addition to this, there is a call for abstracts from haematology professionals in which they apply to present their research at the meeting.


Other Events


The BSH also frequently hosts a variety of courses and events. These courses and events are organized for  special interest groups  and trainee haematology students and professionals.  They permit the professional development of attendees and also provide a platform for discussion and networking opportunities.


BSH Grants


The BSH provides grants to support hundreds of haematology professionals to attend international conferences, undertake research and advance haematology education.  There are grants provided for members only – open to members after one year of membership.
These grants include meeting support grants,  cohort study  grants (open to members with three years of membership), early-stage research start-up grants and  visiting fellow  grants. [ 4 ]


Other grants are open to all. These grants include Undergraduate support, ASM Travel Scholarships, and some Global Haematology Scholarships.


The  Canadian Hemophilia Society  ( CHS ) is a non-profit organization founded in 1953 whose mission is to lead the fight against inherited  bleeding disorders  by helping people affected live healthy lives while searching for a cure. [ 1 ]  The organization consists of chapters in every province in Canada, and a national organization direction to the provincial chapters. It is named for the blood disease  hemophilia .


This article related to a non-profit organization is a  stub . You can help Wikipedia by  expanding it .


The  Department of Defense Serum Repository  (also referred to as the  DoD Serum Repository  or simply  DoDSR ) is a biological  repository  operated by the  United States   Department of Defense  containing over 50,000,000 human  serum  specimens, collected primarily from applicants to and members of the United States  Uniformed Services .


The DoDSR is located in  Silver Spring ,  Maryland  and is operated by the
 Armed Forces Health Surveillance Center [ permanent dead link  ]  (AFHSC), a subordinate of the  United States Army Center for Health Promotion and Preventive Medicine  ( USACHPPM ), itself evolved from the   Johns Hopkins School of Hygiene and Public Health . The DoDSR traces its origins to 1985 and the beginnings of the  United States Armed Forces   HIV  screening program (originally referred to as the  HTLV-III  screening program), when serum remaining after periodic laboratory testing of service members was retained first by the  Walter Reed Army Institute of Research  (WRAIR), then later systematically archived in the Army/Navy Serum Repository, the precursor to the DoDSR.


Today the DoDSR is among the largest serum repositories in the world, in terms of numbers of individuals represented, number of longitudinal specimens stored per individual, and total quantity of serum. The majority of specimens are linked to detailed medical and personnel data, creating a valuable resource for retrospective research and public health surveillance. The DoDSR's longitudinal serum, collected systematically from a large population, has enabled major contributions to understanding the etiology of many health conditions not otherwise amenable to prospective study, including  multiple sclerosis ,  schizophrenia ,  autoimmune diseases  and  cancer .


The earliest serum housed in the DoDSR was collected through the Armed Forces' HLTV-III screening program, implemented in 1985 in response to the emergence of a new human  virus , subsequently known as  Human Immunodeficiency Virus  (HIV). Early laboratory testing was performed via contracted private laboratories. Screening soon expanded to all civilian applicants processed at  Military Entrance Processing Stations . A condition of some early laboratory testing contracts specified that remnant serum were to remain in frozen storage. In 1989, the  Army 's  Walter Reed Army Institute of Research  (WRAIR) awarded a contract to  McKesson  to consolidate and store accumulated residual serum specimens at a single facility, established in proximity to WRAIR in  Rockville ,  Maryland . The HIV Research Program (established by Congressional Direction in 1986), [ 1 ]  under the  WRAIR  Division of  Retrovirology , established the  Walter Reed  Army Serum Repository, which would evolve to become the Army/Navy Serum Repository in 1989. In 2001, the repository inventory was moved to its current location, a 25,000-square-foot (2,300 m 2 ) facility in  Silver Spring ,  Maryland . In recent years, the DoDSR has grown by approximately 1.9 [ 2 ] -2.3 [ 3 ]  million specimens annually. By 2007, the DoDSR inventory had grown to over 44 million specimens, [ 2 ]  and by the end of 2009, over 50,000,000 specimens. [ 3 ]


The DoDSR, along with its precursor repositories, were designated as the ultimate storage facility for all serologically negative HIV specimens obtained through military HIV testing programs. Growing initially through the routine screening of all civilian applicants, and then through the continued screening of retained military personnel (at approximate two year intervals), by 1990 the DoDSR inventory had grown to contain over six million serum specimens, and by 1996 over 17 million specimens. Standardized processes in place at the contracted military HIV testing laboratories ensured efficient management of the growing inventory, permitting the DoDSR to enforce standards in specimen labelling, configuration, and shipment of specimens which facilitated their physical integration into the DoDSR inventory. Contracts for HIV testing, negotiated by the individual military services, covered all specimens shipped from Military Treatment Facilities for HIV testing within the United States; for this reason unless specifically removed, serum from military beneficiaries (i.e. spouses and children) would also find their way into the DoDSR inventory.


Prompted by experiences in the aftermath of the  Persian Gulf War , including claims by many service members of  adverse health outcomes , the December, 1995 deployment of U.S. service members to  Bosnia  was accompanied by increased emphasis on health surveillance. [ 4 ]  A 1996  Assistant Secretary of Defense for Health Affairs  memorandum  [ 5 ]  mandated the collection of pre- and post-deployment serum specimens from deploying service members, and their integration into the DoDSR. The policy also directed that specimens collected for HIV surveillance could suffice. Although a small number of specimens were collected directly for health surveillance outside of existing HIV testing channels, specimens collected in this manner suffered from lack of standardization. By 1999, the Assistant Secretary of Defense issued modified instructions, [ 6 ]  which directed that the requirement for pre- and post-deployment specimens be satisfied by HIV testing. Initially, an HIV specimen was required to be collected prior to deployment if none had been collected in the year prior.


Concerns over the adequacy of specimens collected for this purpose, [ 7 ]  including findings of the Rhode Island Gulf War Commission, contributed to public concern over the adequacy of existing serum collection practices.  The FY2005 Defense Authorization Act [ 8 ]  called on the Department of Defense to perform


[a]n assessment of whether there is a need for changes to regulations and standards for drawing blood samples for effective tracking and health surveillance of the medical conditions of personnel before deployment, upon the end of a deployment, and for a followup period of appropriate length.


Additionally, this legislation required DoD to change its policies to require collection of an HIV specimen within 120 days pre-deployment and 30 days post-deployment. This change was later rescinded in conjunction with the later recommendations of the  Armed Forces Epidemiological Board , to permit a sample collected within the year prior to deployment to meet requirements. [ 9 ]  Despite the many changes in policies, the large numbers of service members deploying in support of Operations  Iraqi Freedom  and  Enduring Freedom  have led to a moderate increase in the rate of specimen acquisition and growth of the DoDSR inventory.


The DoDSR has evolved from a research-affiliated repository limited to storing HIV seronegative specimens, to a repository serving a broad health surveillance mission for which it was not originally intended.


The first officially articulated purpose of the DoDSR is found in a 1991  WRAIR  solicitation for the management of the precursor to the DoDSR:


Sera repository operations are required for retrospective studies in support of current and future retroviral research efforts ... Analysis of these sera will be very important.


The  WRAIR  solicitation anticipated as-needed specimen retrieval of up to 5,000 specimens per year.


In 1995, responsibility and custody of the DoDSR inventory and its associated database was transferred from  WRAIR  to a newly formed subordinate command of the  United States Army Medical Command , the  United States Army Center for Health Promotion and Preventive Medicine  (USACHPPM). USACHPPM, or simply CHPPM, itself evolved from the U.S. Army Industrial Hygiene Laboratory, which was initially established in 1942 at the beginning of  World War II  at the Johns Hopkins School of Hygiene, now the  Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health . [ 10 ]  The change in custody was accompanied by an increased emphasis on the  epidemiologic ,  public health  and  health surveillance  utility of DoDSR specimens.


A DoD Instruction issued in 1997, since rescinded, described the purpose of the DoDSR as being for


medical surveillance for clinical diagnosis and epidemiological studies. The repository shall be used exclusively for the identification, prevention, and control of diseases associated with operational deployments of military personnel.


A subsequent DoD Directive,  DoDD 6490.02E , expanded authorized uses of the DoDSR slightly:


There shall be a Department of Defense Serum Repository for medical surveillance for clinical diagnosis and epidemiological studies. The repository shall be used for the identification, prevention, and control of diseases associated with military service.


Responding to concerns outlined in the  FY2005 Defense Authorization Act   Archived  2009-01-10 at the  Wayback Machine , the  Assistant Secretary of Defense for Health Affairs  requested the  Armed Forces Epidemiological Board  (AFEB) address three questions related to the mission and operation of the DoDSR:


The AFEB study determined that there was sound basis for the continued collection of serum, but recommending the additional collection of  white blood cells  in addition to serum. The AFEB study also recommended that the DoD establish an oversight panel be created to govern access to the specimens. Neither recommendation has yet been acted on.


The DoDSR facility is located in 25,283 square feet (2,348.9 m 2 ) of leased commercial space in a 90,000-square-foot (8,400 m 2 ) building [ 11 ]  located at 11800 Tech Road, Silver Spring, Maryland. The leased space was acquired through a ten-year lease managed by the General Services Administration (GSA) which expires October 1, 2010. [ 12 ]


The commercial facility is shared with two other major tenants:  Holy Cross Hospital , [ 13 ]  and  Comcast , [ 11 ]  whose continued occupancy precludes contiguous expansion of the DoDSR inventory. Due to space constraints at the existing facility, relocation of the DoDSR inventory to another location in the  Baltimore  -  National Capital  region (including  Ft. Meade ,  Maryland ) was considered as early as 2005. [ 14 ]


Although AFHCS maintains technical and computing facilities supporting the DoDSR at the  Walter Reed Army Medical Center  (WRAMC),  Washington, D.C.   and is subject to realignment under the recommendations of the  Base Realignment and Closure  (BRAC) Commission, published BRAC recommendations do not specify a location to which the facilities must relocate. Relocation of the WRAMC AFHSC facilities are necessary by September 15, 2011. [ 15 ]


The DoDSR is operated by  Thermo Fisher Scientific  under a  no-bid  or "sole-source" contract [ 16 ]  awarded in 2006. An earlier no-bid contract was awarded to Cryonix in 2005, although Cryonix was later incorporated under Thermo Electron Corporation's Biorepository Services division [ 17 ]   Thermo Electron subsequently merged with  Fisher Scientific  in 2006.  Thermo Fisher's  Fisher BioServices  business currently holds the contract.


The DoDSR consists of 15 large walk-in freezers, each approximately 30 feet (9.1 m) x 30 feet x 10 high, [ 14 ]  whose interiors are maintained at -30 °C by pairs of compressors.


The majority of serum specimens are stored inside the walk-in freezers in cardboard boxes, approximately 6 x 18 x 3.5 inches (89 mm) in size, each containing 308 specimens, and each consisting of approximately 2.5 mL of frozen serum  [ 16 ]  The cardboard boxes are sequentially numbered and labeled, and stored on metal shelving units within the walk-in freezers for ready accessibility and retrieval.


Due to storage constraints, approximately 5.5 million specimens from two walk-in freezers were placed into "high-density" configuration in 2006, and additional reconfiguration may be required. The current operations contract calls for the contractor to
 "adjust the storage configurations of specimens in one or more freezers to accommodate high-density, boxed specimen storage" [ 16 ]  as required.


The majority of specimens are received quarterly in frozen form, following completion of all HIV testing. [ 18 ]  Shipments arrive in pallets transported in a freezer truck from the major contracted testing laboratory,  ViroMed , which is located in  Minnetonka ,  Minnesota .


In 2008, the DoDSR procured a specialized freezer truck to transport specimens to the DoDSR, and solicited a bid for more frequent transport of specimens to the repository
. [ 19 ]