Committee Wants Guidelines to Avoid Unnecessary Blood Transfusions

A federal health committee is saying that some Americans may be having too many unnecessary blood transfusions, which exposes them to a risk of HIV or hepatitis infections, as well as other complications. 

An advisory board to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) issued an opinion earlier this month, indicating that the nation needs new, universal standards on which patients need to receive blood.

Studies have shown that hospitals nationwide vary widely in their use of blood transfusions, which puts an unnecessary strain on the nation’s blood supply at times.

One study cited looked at 100,000 open-heart surgery patients and found that in some hospitals, the rate of blood transfusions for such surgeries was 93 percent, while in others the rate was just 8 percent. Another study found that geography appears to play a role, with patients in the South more likely to receive a blood transfusion, while those who live in western states being less likely.

U.S. patients are given 14 million units of red blood each year, and that number has climbed 40 percent since 1994. One sign that the use of blood is not being decided on a strictly as-needed basis is the fact that since the recession began in 2008, the amount of blood given to patients has dropped about 6 percent.

In addition to the strain on the blood supply, there are rare cases where blood has been infected with HIV or various strains of hepatitis, endangering recipients. There are also other risks associated with blood transfusions, including allergic reactions and fatal complications.

In lieu of national guidelines, the advisory committee stated that hospitals should be encouraged to have their own set of guidelines on when blood transfusions are appropriate.