What Measures are Taken to Ensure Blood Supply Safety?
The risk of infectious disease transmission is extremely low thanks to multiple safeguards, including:

• volunteer donors - studies prove that community volunteers are the safest source of blood for transfusions.
• a comprehensive evaluation of each donor’s medical and social history to exclude donors who participate in activities known to increase their risk of infections. Strict confidentiality, as well as the absence of incentives or pressure to donate, encourages honest answers and deferral of potential donors with possible health risks.
• a physical examination of the donor, including a check of blood pressure, pulse, temperature, and a test for red cell concentration. Donors must meet prescribed medical requirements before a unit of blood is collected.
• sterile disposable supplies are employed.
• laboratory testing—technicians perform 12 tests on each unit of blood, including tests for hepatitis B and C, HIV-1 and -2 (the viruses that cause AIDS), syphilis, and HTLV-I and II (rare viruses associated with leukemia or neurological problems), and West Nile virus.

Any unit of blood that shows evidence of carrying a disease is discarded and the donor is deferred from subsequent donation. Platelets are also screened for bacterial contamination since they must be stored at room temperature rather than in refrigerators.

Donated blood is tested for compatibility with patients. Before sending blood to a hospital for transfusion, it is tested for blood type (Group A, B, AB, or O and Rh type – positive or negative) and for red cell antibodies.

These procedures are followed by all blood centers nationwide and are monitored under the regulatory guidance of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).