In January, The American Red Cross reported that it was facing “its worst blood shortage in over a decade” amid surging cases of the Omicron COVID-19 virus. For the first time since its inception, the Red Cross declared a “Blood Crisis”, with blood and platelet donations reaching critically low levels.
Among the patients in dire need of blood transfusions such as accident victims and cancer patients are patients with sickle cell disease. Approximately 100,000 cases of sickle cell disease have been recorded in United States, and the current blood shortage could prove dangerous to those affected.
Edward Ivy, MD, MPH, Vice Chief Medical Officer of the Sickle Cell Association of America (SCDAA), spoke of the implications of the blood shortage for patients with sickle cell disease in a wide-ranging interview with HCPLive.