Blood shortages are a critical issue facing the US–lack of volunteers, outdated processes, and limited shelf life are only making these shortages worse. However, by better understanding the causes of blood shortages, we can work toward finding solutions to bridge the growing gap between need and supply, saving thousands of lives.

Blood consists of four main components: plasma, red blood cells, white blood cells, and platelets. It is vital for our survival, as it circulates oxygen and nutrients around our body, carries antibodies to fight infection, regulates our body temperature, and much more. Although the benefits of blood are evident, its urgency seems to go unnoticed in America. In fact, only 3% of Americans donate blood annually and these numbers only worsened with the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. In January 2022, the American Red Cross declared a “blood crisis” after seeing a 10% decline in donors since the beginning of the pandemic.

Blood is in high demand. Every 2 seconds someone in the US needs blood, around 29,000 units of blood are needed daily in the US, and nearly 16 million blood transfusions are performed every year. But what is causing these blood shortages?

The causes of blood shortages remain a subject of debate amongst experts. Recent developments have suggested a variety of factors are responsible for this ongoing challenge, including a shortage of donors, reliance on artificial blood products, and the spread of infectious diseases. Other causes include an aging population, expensive drug costs, and a lack of necessary infrastructure. However, it is generally agreed that blood shortages are not caused by a single issue, but by a combination of social and biological reasons. Biological factors may include the risk of spreading diseases such as HIV or a lack of universally accepted blood. Social factors may include personal motives, lack of education, and misinformation. But one thing is certain: by not taking action, people are dying. For instance, between 20 and 40% of trauma deaths are caused by massive hemorrhaging, which requires blood transfusions to save.

It is imperative that we take action to avoid and alleviate blood shortages. In order to avoid a blood shortage in the future, there are several steps that can be taken. One of the most important ways that we can help is to encourage people of all ages to donate blood when possible. When more people donate blood, it helps increase the overall blood supply, meaning that there is likely to be more blood available when it is needed. Additionally, efforts should be made to increase public awareness of the benefits of donating blood, as this will likely result in more donors. To support the increased demand for blood donations, the infrastructure to handle this need should be developed, such as by increasing the number of blood donation centers. By creating a system that meets the need for a healthy and safe supply of blood, we will be saving lives.