Safety of the nation's blood supply

Abstract

Transfusion-transmitted AIDS continues to remain a very small part of the current AIDS epidemic in the United States, but questions regarding the safety of the blood supply abound. Transfusion-associated AIDS (TAAIDS) represents only about 3% of the total AIDS cases reported to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC). According to the CDC, 1,833 adult TA-AIDS cases were reported through September 19, 1988 (I). In the same period, 73,394 cases of AIDS had been reported to the CDC. While representing only a small part of the epidemic, TA-AIDS has raised concerns about the safety of our nation's blood supply. It is important to provide factual information about AIDS and the blood supply to patients, donors, and medical professionals. We are dealing with a moving target and with ongoing procedural changes that have positively affected the safety of the blood supply. Figure 1 summarizes donor strategies to protect the blood supply. First, we know a great deal about paid versus volunteer donors, with respect to transfusion-associated hepatitis. It is well accepted that conversion to an all volunteer donor base has had a significant positive effect on the reduction of posttransfusion hepatitis. Fortunately, paid donor blood has been all but totally eliminated from the United States blood supply.