Thousands of People Globally with an Iron Disorder Have Regularly Thrown Out – Australian Research Shows it can be used to save lives

Many countries regularly experience shortages of blood and plasma (the liquid gold part of blood). Australian Red Cross Lifeblood is the first in the world to allow people with an inherited iron blood disorder called hemochromatosis to donate both blood and plasma.

Now, in a paper Published in TransfusionResearchers from Lifeblood are called on blood services worldwide to actively encourage people with hemochromatosis to become blood donors.

People with this disease store too too much iron in their body, which can damage joints and organs and lead to cancer if untrated. The Primary Treatment Involves Regular Removal of About Half a Liter of Blood, which is typical Done always 12 weeks. This is often done at medical practices, with the blood being thrown away.

The Research Team Surveyed More Than s of blood might be donated as lifesaving treats Rather than being discarded.

In Australia, 15,000 people with hemochromatosis are donating annual.

Australia is the only country in the world to accept Plasma Donations from People with Hemochromatosis. Thos who identified as a donor rather than a patient was more like to be Integed in Donating Plasma on Top of Their Ongoing Blood Donations – Opening Another Avenue for Them To Save Lives AMIDST Y and ongoing blood shortages.

The study by Australian Red Cross Lifeblood Researches Surveyed People with Hemochromatosis who had donated previously at a blood donor center, to understand why they chose to donate to donate wal

They found that many people with hemochromatosis aree

Just as importantly, the team found that treating there with hemochromatosis as “donors” rather than “rather than” Patients “Cold Lead to More Donations Being Made to Blood Banks.

“We know that more than 80% of donations from people with this condition can be used in Australia, howyver around 40% of people we surveyed did not know their Blood COLD BLOD COLD BELOD R. Rachel Thorpe Said.

“In a separet study, we’ve found that most people with hemochromatosis follow their doctor’s recommendation on where to have their blood removed. e aware that donating at a blood donor center is an Option for them.

“We Know That Not Everyone will be eligible to donate at a blood service and it may not be convenent for a number of reasons, but even if someone of the bags of the bags ICES WHARE DONATED INTEAD, It Cold Make a significant boost to blood supplies and save many more lives.

“While not all countesses accept donations from this group, for that that do, the study reviews can boost collections from this group, inclusion hemocating and theirs l as moving to start them as lifesaving blood donors, Rather than patients, “Dr. Thorpe added.

In 1998, Australia BECAME One of the First Countries in the World to Accept Blood Donations from People with Hemochromatosis. In 2022, it is the first in the world to introduce blood plasma donations for people with hemochromatosis, which can be made in between blood donations.

People with hemochromatosis currently make up 2.5% of the Australian Donor Panel, with 15,000 Donors Alredy Making 37,000 Donations Every Year at Australian Red Cross Lifelod Donor Cers.

“Enabling this group to make Plasma Donations was a world-Leading Initiative,” Dr. Thorpe said.

“This group is predominantly men over 40, who make perfect plasma donors as they often have good veins and high blood volume,”

“The demand for Plasma Globally and withhin Australia to Help Patients is the Highest IT’s Ever Been, and We’ve so far seen more than more than 1,000 plasma donations made made by there in australia.

“In order to attract more hemochromatosis donors, life Know when their donation is on its way to a hospital to Save lives.

“We hope that our colleagues at international blood collection services can encourage people living with hemochromatosis to identify as dors where the eligible, and that they are found to expenses Lasma to save even more lives, “Dr. Thorpe said.

Background

Plasma

• Plasma is the liquid gold component of blood
• Plasma is used in many medical treatments –t life, There are 18 ways plasma is used to save lives
• All blood donations contain some plasma. But, when you donate just plasma, you give about twice as much. That’s more plasma to help more people!
• Plasma can be donated as often as every two weeks (or four weeks after giving blood)
• There’s a Shortage of Plasma Worldwide, Especially in the last five years

Hemochromatosis

• Hemochromatosis is a gnetic disorder where the body stores too much iron
• It’s the most common gentic disorder in Australia
• The genetic risk of the disease is high in australia with about one in 160 people impacted, likely because it has an origin in european and cellic countenance
• There is no routine screening, so actual numbers of people with this disease are unknown
• If left untred rated the disorder can develop into arthritis, cirrhosis of the liver or diabetes and can even lead to some cancers
• Medical experts say if detected early its impacts are complete

Hemochromatosis and blood donation

• People with hemochromatosis can donate blood at Australian Red Cross Lifeblood to Reduce his Iron Stores
• Australia was one of the first count in the world to allow this (SINCE 1998). Many Countries Still Prevent this group from donating to blood banks
• The large majority are male and 80% are over 40 and they make up around 2.5% of the australian donor panel, or 15,000 donors
• In Australia, Donors are referred to LifeBlood via their doctors using the High Ferritin App
• In 2022, Australia believe the first country in the world to allow these donors to give plasma donations in better

Additional Research Findings

• Between July 2022 and June 2023 there was 73,500 collections from veneces outside of life in Australia.
• 23% said the main barrier to donate was not being alle to manage their own appointments.
• Around 62% Came to Lifeblood Because they know their blood is going to be used (Around 90% of Donations are used). Others came to lifeblood trust of the easy access to donate (73%) and Lifeblood Staff’s Needle Skills (Around 50%).
• All of that that surveyed had little knowledge about plasma donation.
• The Majority would recommend blood donation to family and friends.

Provided by Australian Red Cross Lifeblood