Blood-Commodity or Community asset?

I learned some very interesting facts about the blood business as the LLS board meeting this month at Bonfils.

Bonfils support 200 health organizations in U.S. and all over the world.

There are 76 Bonfils like orgs in the U.S.

Red Cross collects 40% of blood donation in U.S.

Bonfils collects 48%

Hospitals account for remaining 12%.

Doubled amount of blood stored at Bonfils in preparation of the DNC next week.

Red Cross threw out 485.000 units of blood collected after 9/11.

Bonfils processed more blood after Columbine shootings than N.Y. City did after 9/11.

Approximately 200 registrants have occurred as part of the Light the Night marrow donor registration

Bonfils is able to waive the donor registration fee at the Light the Night walks.

7,000 registered marrow donors in Colorado.

300 million people in U.S. Only 70 million are eligible to donate blood.

Only 4% of population will donate.

97% of population will receive a transfusion.

The safest blood transfusion is no transfusion. Incredibly the biggest risk during transfusion is receiving the wrong blood type.

Blood management programs are critical.

Cost of unit of blood is $225.00, after transfusion cost varies from $1,700 to $2,400 for a single unit.

Platelet transfusion $75.00 apiece, one patient could require as many as 25 a day.

Globalization-Other areas are more willing to pay for blood than here in U.S. Competing across the world for blood supply.

Bio tech firms in New York are willing to pay $700 for the $225 unit of blood.

Is blood a commodity or community asset? The answer is both.

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