By
Mindy Jones
Arizona Daily Wildcat
Red Cross focuses on students to decrease shortage
UA student opinions reflect the dilemma facing the American Red Cross as the FDA increased its requirements for accepting blood donations.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration recently passed a series of amendments to the national standards required of blood donors in the United States.
This change comes at a time when blood supply is at an all time low, representatives from the Red Cross said. And the shortage problem does not seem to be improving.
Kay Donohoe, director of donor services for the Red Cross, said that this modification has negatively affected the amount of donors accepted by the organization.
The rate of rejected or deferred donors has doubled from 7 percent to 14.5 percent, she said.
"The regulations are set up by the FDA, and we are required to follow them, regardless," Donohoe said. "However, some of them don't seem to make sense."
Living in a malaria affected country, such as Mexico, will now defer people from donating blood for three years.
Although not all parts of Mexico are at risk for the disease, Donohoe said, they have interpreted the FDA regulation to include all parts of the country.
Allison Siegel, creative writing sophomore, said the blood organizations are assuming too much in a desperate time of need.
"We shouldn't assume that just because you have been to some of these places that you are infected with diseases such as malaria," she said. "They should take the blood and decide later if they can use it."
Arizona will be greatly affected by this change, Allison added, considering it's close proximity to Mexico.
Jennie Banker, undeclared sophomore, agreed that the high population of Mexican natives in Arizona will decrease the number of eligible donors.
She also added that while increasing standards makes the process of giving blood more safe, some of the questions on the current donor questionnaire seem unnecessary.
"I thought that the things that they asked were ridiculous," Banker said. "I think they should ask a few questions and be able to decide if the person is eligible or not."
Donohoe added that it is important for people to understand the dilemma that the Red Cross is in.
While the regulations were passed to protect the donor, she said, the Red Cross also has a responsibility to protect the blood supply.
DeDe Lamb, director of donor services for the United Blood Services Arizona, agreed that the FDA's precautions were instituted to ensure clean blood.
"I definitely don't think the standards are too strict," she said. "If we are not guaranteeing a pure product, we aren't doing the public any justice."
Lamb added that the Arizona division of UBS does not plan on excluding donors from all parts of Mexico, but rather only those listed as Malaria-affected.
"We interpreted the regulations differently than the Red Cross did," she said.
Cheri Blauwet, molecular and cellular biology junior, said that the interpretations should be expanded when the state is in a desperate need.
"I can't give blood because I have had transfusions before," she said. " I think that instead of turning at risk donors away, like myself, they should take the blood, mark it as having a higher risk factor, and possibly keeping it for emergency situations."
Donohoe said that the problem does not lie in a lack of donors, but rather an increase in these "emergency situations."
"We have had an overall increase in the total pints collected in southern Arizona," she said. "But we have also seen an increase in need for blood in common medical procedures.
Donohoe said that Tucson is especially affected like this since it is the home to the University Medical Center and the Arizona Cancer Center.
"I think that by using positive peer pressure, the UA would be able to help the overall shortage and donate blood," Blauwet said.
The Red Cross will focus on its large sponsor groups, specifically the UA, to educate students and recruit donors to alleviate the shortage.
"We have been having a problem since July," Donohoe said. "The problem is not going to disappear over night."
