The National Blood Supply Is Dwindling. Here’s How to Keep It From Hurting Local Health Care

The American Red Cross reported that its national blood supply is running low after blood drives were canceled due to the summer heat.

Since July 1, the organization’s supply has dropped by more than 25%. Four blood drives in Illinois and more than 100 others nationwide have been canceled due to high temperatures, the Red Cross said. Other seasonal challenges, such as travel and summer activities, have also led to a drop in donations.

All of these factors contributed to a shortfall of more than 19,000 blood donations in July, the organization reported.

“At the same time, demand for blood products in hospitals remains high,” a Red Cross spokesman said. “Blood products are being sent to hospitals faster than donations are arriving.”

Chicago-area hospitals contacted by the Sun-Times say the Red Cross blood shortage has not affected patient care, but they are urging people to donate blood to ensure it doesn’t happen again in the future.

Nationwide, supplies of type O blood are so low that distributions are falling short of what hospitals expect. Blood donors of all types — but especially type O — are urged to donate as soon as possible, the spokesman said.

“It is critical that hospitals have both O-positive and O-negative blood ready to be administered to patients in the most life-threatening situations,” Dr. Eric Gehrie, executive director of Red Cross Physicians, said in the statement. “Type O blood is especially important for accident and other trauma victims who are receiving emergency care.”

Extreme weather, both summer and winter, can also threaten the blood supply, according to the Red Cross. Tropical storms and hurricanes that cause power outages and flooding can also interrupt blood drives or reduce the number of donors.

There are seven Red Cross donation centers in Illinois, including two in the Chicago area. Multiple blood drives are held each week. You can find them by zip code at redcrossblood.org/give.html/find-drive or by calling (800) RED-CROSS.

Vitalant also hosts blood drives in the area. Some major hospitals also host blood drives, such as Northwestern Medicine.

“Northwestern Medicine strongly encourages blood donations,” a hospital spokesperson said. “Patient care at Northwestern Memorial Hospital has not been impacted. But we continue to work with our blood suppliers to maintain an adequate supply.”

At the University of Chicago Medical Center, the blood supply was also not significantly affected, thanks in part to its in-house blood donation center.

Dr Fatima Aldarweesh, deputy medical director of the hospital’s blood bank and transfusion department, said donations made directly to the hospital are essential to avoid the consequences of a shortage.

“There are still concerns about blood donations,” she said. Hospitals affected by the shortage are having to cancel elective surgeries, ration blood and refer patients to other hospitals, she added.

Part of the problem is that fewer people are regularly donating blood, platelets and plasma, Aldarweesh said.

Another obstacle is that the United States does not have a universal blood supply system, unlike other countries. That means hospitals rely on large suppliers like the Red Cross and smaller providers like for-profit companies or their own donation centers, Aldarweesh said.

Rush University Medical Center is also not experiencing a shortage, a spokesperson said.

Blood providers like the Red Cross are calling on Congress to reauthorize the Pandemic and All-Hazards Preparedness Act and include blood safety measures.

“People who decide to become regular donors would be extremely helpful,” Aldarweesh said. “Without blood, a hospital cannot function.”