by Maria Giovanna Faiella
The alarm of patients treated with plasma-derived drugs. The appeal of the director of the National Blood Center: «Donate before leaving or as soon as you return from vacation»
Every day, even in summer, there are patients who continue to have regular blood transfusions to treat severe anemia; there are those who need blood because they undergo surgery, or receive an organ transplant, or because they have a serious trauma or a bleeding event. Blood also supports many oncological and hematological therapies. Furthermore, for many patients, plasma-derived drugs – such as albumin or immunoglobulins – produced by donations of plasma, the liquid part of blood, are “lifesaving”. The need for blood and plasma, therefore, does not go on vacation; yet, in the summer there is a greater drop in donations. And patients are worried, so much so that they raise a cry of alarm, especially for the shortage of plasma.
The complaint
«The lack of plasma is seriously putting the health of many patients at risk – denounces Massimo Marra, president of the Italian Association of patients with dysimmune neuropathies (Cidp Italia), a group of rare pathologies of the peripheral nervous system treated mainly with plasma derivatives, especially immunoglobulins – . Donations and collections are not sufficient to cover the national need for plasma, and our country is still far from self-sufficiency, with serious consequences for many patients who need plasma-derived drugs for their treatment, often life-saving. We need short and long-term interventions ».
The concern is that, if the trend is not reversed, in the face of a possible greater demand for these medicines at an international level, in the not too distant future there will be the risk of being able to find these medicines with difficulty, necessary for ensure access to even life-saving therapies for all patients.
Shortages especially in the South
Last year in our country there was a collapse in plasma donations collected by the National Transfusion Network. There was a slight recovery at the beginning of this year, but we are far from self-sufficiency. Dr. Vincenzo De Angelis, director of the National Blood Center: «In 2022 we collected around 850 thousand kilograms of plasma for the production of plasma-derived medicines, 20 thousand less than in 2021; to achieve self-sufficiency we would need to harvest a million a year, so another 250,000 kilos are missing. The most critical aspect, not only in the summer but in prospective terms, is the fact that the collection is uneven: there are regions that have enough plasma and, instead, regions (especially in the South) that are unable to guarantee even half of the requirement”.
Donate before leaving or after returning from vacation
In the summer season, both blood and plasma donations generally decrease. However, it is important that donations are regular at a cadenced pace, to prevent deficiencies in the national transfusion system, based on anonymous, free, voluntary and periodic donation, because being able to count on a solid base of people willing to donate allows for better planning and also timely intervention in case of deficiencies and emergencies.
The director of the National Blood Center repeats once again the invitation to donate even in the summer: “It is better to book your donation to make it either before leaving on vacation or immediately after returning” is the appeal of Dr. De Angelis, who adds: «Never forget that plasma is also needed: alternating a donation of whole blood with one of apheresis plasma could be an excellent strategy to guarantee self-sufficiency until the end of the year both for the treatment of anemic patients chronic diseases such as thalassemia, and for the collection of plasma which will be used to produce plasma-derived medicines for patients who need them”.
Who can donate and advice for women
The requirements to be able to donate are:
– aged between 18 and 65;
– minimum body weight of 50 kilograms;
– good health conditions.
Males and females who are not of childbearing age can donate whole blood every 3 months; – women of childbearing age, on the other hand, can donate twice a year. As for the donation of plasma, it is recommended for women as it is “lighter” for the body: unlike the donation of whole blood, in fact, it does not involve a reduction in the level of hemoglobin, since the red blood cells are separated and reinfused.
We need generational change
The progressive aging of the donor population continues to worry us also because there does not seem to be, for now, an adequate generational turnover. «Every year we lose a percentage of donors due to reaching the age limit – explains the director of the National Blood Center -. Young people have to compensate for this outflow, otherwise the donor population is going to go down, and we can’t afford it. Blood transfusions and plasma-derived drugs are a patient’s right but, to guarantee it, it is necessary for healthy people to donate blood» underlines De Angelis.
After all, we or a loved one may need it too.
Precisely to raise awareness, in particular among young people, of making this gesture of solidarity, many initiatives of the are aimed at them National campaign 2023 «Give life, give blood», promoted by the Ministry of Health in collaboration with the National Blood Center and the involvement of voluntary blood donor associations.
Motorcycle itineraries
Among the many events scheduled is the “Metti in motion il dono” event for two-wheel enthusiasts who can sign up for motorcycle tours organized in various regions by the federated associations of Fidas, the Italian federation of blood donor associations. The next stops, which also include tourist and food and wine itineraries, are in Basilicata on 19 and 20 August, in breaking latest news on 27 August, other tours will take place in September and October (Who all appointments). The event will then be held in the last weekend of August 24 hours of the donor: in the Olympic swimming pool of the Terme di Caldiero donors and sympathizers will take turns in a relay of 15 minutes each to remember that the need for blood never stops.
Since September, as part of the “Biomedical curvature” project of the National Federation of Orders of Surgeons and Dentists (FNOMCeO), short video clips will be broadcast in schools, to raise awareness about blood donation among students of secondary schools and medical faculties.
You may be interested in Why donating blood is increasingly important
August 11, 2023 (change August 11, 2023 | 12:41)
© breaking latest news