Patient Safety Is Important
While America’s blood supply is safer than ever, no medical procedure is without risk. In almost every instance, the benefits of a needed blood transfusion outweigh the risks.

We take seriously our responsibility to ensure every donation a patient receives has been carefully processed, which includes:

• Strict screening practices in blood donor selection
• Sterile collection bags
• Extensive, state-of-the-art testing
• Safety procedures for storage and transportation of blood products

All processing steps are performed according to rigorous regulations by the US Food and Drug Administration, and the standards of the American Association of Blood Banks.

Blood Compatibility
Donated blood is tested to determine a donor’s blood type. The hospital transfusion service performs testing to confirm the blood transfused is compatible with the patient’s blood type.

What Are The Risks?
Although there is a risk of contracting a bloodborne infection, modern technology has greatly reduced that risk. Comprehensive laboratory testing and a stricter donor screening process have been extremely effective in minimizing disease transmission via blood transfusion. According to the US Centers for Disease Control, a person is more likely to die from a lightning strike.

• Hepatitis: At least two forms of viral hepatitis can be transmitted via blood transfusion – hepatitis B and hepatitis C. For hepatitis B this is about one per quarter million units given and for hepatitis C around one case for every 1.5 to 2 million transfusions.
• HIV: Persons carrying the HIV virus, which causes AIDS, can transmit the virus via a blood transfusion. The possibility of contracting HIV from a blood transfusion is around one transmission for every 2 million units of blood given.