Young people return to donating blood, autonomy of transfusions guaranteed

Transfusions guaranteed, plasma donations are growing and there is greater involvement of young people between 18 and 25 years old and women. This is what emerges from the data on the collection and use of blood and blood components of the National Blood Center, presented at a conference on the topic, in the presence of the Minister of Health, Orazio Schillaci, in view of World Blood Donor Day, which will be celebrated on June 14. Donations of blood and blood components in the year 2024 were over 3 million, with a growth of 1.1% compared to 2023, thanks to a group of 1.67 million blood and blood component donors, most of whom are registered with the four main volunteer associations: AVIS, Italian Red Cross, Fidas and Fratres. This year too, the self-sufficiency of transfusions was confirmed, with the first benefactors being approximately 640 thousand patients (an average of 1,755 per day) who received a total of 2.3 million red blood cell transfusions (an average of 4.5 per minute). Excellent results, the National Blood Center notes, also for the donation of plasma, the liquid part of blood, necessary for the production of so-called plasma-derived drugs. In 2024, collection in Italy was record-breaking, over 900 tons (+3% compared to 2023). This result is even more important, because the plasma donated in our country is still not sufficient to guarantee the needs of Italian patients, forcing the National Health System to find a quota of plasma-derived drugs on the international market. The data also show greater involvement of women and young people: in 2024, new donors between 18 and 25 years old were over 75 thousand (+5%). New donors were instead 127 thousand (+1.1%). "The culture of giving is already widespread in Italy, but it must be supported and promoted. The data presented today confirm the importance of a continuous commitment also to strengthen the culture of donation among young people and encourage the generational turnover of donors" said the minister.