NEW BLOOD COLLECTION SYSTEM
EXPECTED TO HELP EASE BLOOD SHORTAGES

Community Blood Council of NJ Implements New Blood Collection Technology Allowing Donors To Give Two Units Of Red Blood Cells Instead Of One From a Single Donation

Trenton, NJ, July 2003-- Community Blood Council of NJ is one of the first few blood centers nationwide to offer a new, state-of-the-art, automated blood collection system that provides donors a fast, comfortable and convenient way to maximize their donation and help ensure a steady and continuous blood supply. For just an extra 10 minutes on average, eligible donors can now give two units of red blood cells instead of approximately one pint of whole blood.

Red blood cells represent the blood component in greatest demand, yet they are often in short supply. Annually, approximately 14 million units of red blood cells are collected in the United States for transfusion to patients in need, including people undergoing critical surgeries, severe accident victims, and patients with certain types of cancers or chronic anemia.

Last year in New Jersey, more than 317,569 units of red blood cells were transfused to local patients. An aging population and new medical treatments contribute to an increasing demand for surgeries and procedures requiring blood transfusions. At the same time, more restrictive donor eligibility criteria intended to protect the safety of the blood supply decreases the eligible donor pool. This creates a widening gap between the demand and supply of blood components, which can result in blood shortages and treatment delays. New Jersey is typical of states around the country that regularly face this problem.

“Relying on current manual collections alone will not meet the expected surge in demand for red blood cells without an influx of donors,” said Patrick Deschenes, CEO - Community Blood Council of NJ. “By obtaining two transfusion doses of red blood cells from a single donor, this automated technology increases the supply of critically needed red blood cells and maximizes the benefit donors can provide to patients. Recruiting more donors will still be critical, but using automated systems puts us in a better position to meet increasing blood supply needs.”

Currently, red blood cells are primarily collected through manual whole blood donations. In this traditional approach, the whole blood is divided manually into therapeutic components – platelets, plasma and red blood cells – after it has been collected from a donor. Manual donations produce a single transfusion dose of red blood cells. With automated red blood cell collection technology, such as the ALYX Component Collection System being used now by Community Blood Council of NJ, only red blood cells are collected, returning the other components, such as platelets and plasma, back to the donor. This process allows two transfusion doses of red blood cells to be collected from a single donation.

“I was amazed at how fast and comfortable it was to donate on the ALYX System,” said Diane Martin of Willingboro, NJ. “For just a few extra minutes I might be able to help two patients each time I donate, and that’s a great feeling.”

Most patients undergoing critical medical procedures require several transfusions. For example, an open heart surgery patient may require six units of red blood cells while an automobile accident victim may need up to 40. Daily, more than 1,000 units of blood need to be collected in New Jersey to meet patients’ transfusion needs. While the vast majority of residents qualify to give blood, less than 5% percent do and only a small percentage of that give two or more times a year. Automated technology will help increase the blood supply, but it continues to be critical that those who are eligible donate regularly.

FAQ:
AUTOMATED
RED BLOOD CELL COLLECTION