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

submitted 10 months ago by MicroWave@lemmy.world to c/health@lemmy.world

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

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

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

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

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[-] Showroom7561@lemmy.ca 4 points 10 months ago

Didn't they used to pay people for plasma? Has that gone away or have the rates not caught up to inflation?

[-] CADmonkey@lemmy.world 3 points 10 months ago

Pay them for it. How much does one get billed for a pint of blood?

[-] Fleur__@lemmy.world 3 points 10 months ago

Incentivise it

[-] AceFuzzLord@lemm.ee 2 points 10 months ago

Even if I could, I wouldn't because I absolutely do not like medical needles at all.

[-] Cowlitz@lemmy.world 2 points 10 months ago* (last edited 10 months ago)

Hmm let's see. I constantly get harassed multiple times a day to do it. Even though I'm underweight and can't donate. Ive told them this. Even when I met the weight requirement donating only caused me trouble. Last 2 times I donated they had to hold the needle in my arm because their phlebotomist suck. If I had not gotten a full unit they would have thrown it out. Im not going through a ton of effort to throw it out.

On top of that, the time before that they sent me to the ER because I was still lightheaded and couldn't stand after waiting an hour. I got to pay an ER and ambulance bill for the privelege of giving my blood away for free. Its not surprising ive soured on the idea. Donaters take on all the risk in our for profit system and get none of the profit.

[-] Chickenstalker@lemmy.world 0 points 10 months ago

Let the Boomers die.

[-] UraniumBlazer@lemm.ee 0 points 10 months ago

Fuck you. My grandma is actively dying right now and we're doing everything that we can to stop that. She faced domestic abuse practically her entire life. Despite this, she worked hard through it and is still fighting hard to live on. Sure, she might not have been the nicest person alive, but she sure as hell doesn't deserve shit like this from losers like you. Go fuck yourself with a cactus.

[-] pinkdrunkenelephants@lemmy.cafe -3 points 10 months ago

And the millennials and zoomers who need blood can just go die with them

You all are morally repugnant and vile.

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this post was submitted on 18 Jan 2024

133 points (94.6% liked)

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