LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — Summertime is when blood banks across the Las Vegas Valley see a decline in donations. Last summer, the American Red Cross saw its blood supply shrink by nearly 20%. However, for the first summer in 40 years, blood supply centers have a new pool of potential donors to collect from. The FDA recently relaxed blood donation guidelines for gay and bisexual men.
“We will start to see a lot of people who were previously excluded from this process that will be able to go through the process,” said Rachel Flanagan, executive director of the American Red Cross of Southern Nevada. “And who’s to say, that as they go through the process somebody might have too low of iron but they weren’t able to have that personal health information.”
As one of the nation’s largest suppliers of blood, the American Red Cross was involved in the Advanced Study. Researchers surveyed men who have sex with other men.
The study led to the individual-donor questionnaire. It looks at the specific donor and what their lifestyle entails. The FDA guidelines also impact heterosexual donors opening the door to individuals on specific medications.
The American Red Cross says that this also opens the door to collecting more health information for donors. Starting this summer, staff will be able to tell if a person has high blood pressure when they donate.
On June 10th, the American Red Cross of Southern Nevada is hosting a blood drive at the Pearson Community Center in North Las Vegas. The event focuses on sickle cell donors - specifically within the African American community.
“This is one of the advancements that will allow donors to make more conscientious decisions about their day-to-day lives,” Flanagan said.
For more information on donating blood, or to make an appointment, go to the American Red Cross of Southern Nevada website.
