Blood donation: who can donate and what the alternatives are

Blood is essential for managing a wide range of clinical conditions, from acute illnesses to road traffic accidents. To respond effectively to these emergencies, it is crucial to maintain an adequate supply of blood reserves.

To donate blood, it is necessary to:

• be over 18 years of age;
• weigh at least 50 kg;
• be in good general health;
• have a compatible lifestyle (no behaviors that pose health risks to either the donor or the recipient).

Before any donation, medical staff perform a thorough screening to carefully assess all relevant blood parameters. Comprehensive virological testing is also carried out to ensure that the donated blood is free from any infection for the recipient.

Blood donation is not permitted, for example, for individuals who are:

• anemic or iron-deficient;
• carriers of infectious diseases;
• affected by cardiovascular diseases or cancer.

“Behind every donation, which I consider a truly noble gesture, there is extensive work to ensure that the blood can be used safely and meets the highest standards for those who will receive it.”

As donor age increases, health issues tend to become more common. For this reason, there is a strong focus on encouraging young people to donate, regardless of their blood group, in order to increase the overall volume of donations.

In general, there is a higher demand for donors with blood group O positive (O+) or O negative (O−). The latter is considered the most “generous” group: it can donate to all blood types but can receive blood only from the same group, as it is rarer than the others.

Donation frequency differs between men and women:

• men can donate up to 4 times per year (every 3 months);
• women can donate up to 2 times per year (every 6 months).

The human body is highly resilient, and after a short period following donation, all blood parameters return to normal.

Beyond the moral value, one of the main benefits for donors is the stimulation of bone marrow activity, which promotes the production of new blood cells.

“By removing a portion of blood,” explains the specialist, “the bone marrow is stimulated and becomes more responsive in producing red blood cells. In this way, blood is renewed through a complex yet extraordinary mechanism that is the human body.”

Given the ongoing shortage and urgency, significant efforts have been made to identify alternative approaches to blood availability.

“There are specific programs known as Patient Blood Management, which aim to manage patients’ hematological status (that is, their blood levels and quality) in order to optimize their condition before surgery. For several years now,” explains Prof. Kanso, “I have been implementing this program at the Istituti Ospedalieri Bresciani of the San Donato Group as well.”

“Intervention takes place during the preoperative phase to ensure that patients enter the operating room with optimal blood values. These are patients who already have a scheduled procedure and are awaiting surgery.

On the day of pre-admission, we offer this service by performing blood tests to assess various hematological parameters that may indicate anemia or iron deficiency. Essentially, we create an immediate hematological profile and intervene where deficiencies are identified,” the specialist explains.

Among the main benefits are:

• a significant reduction in the need for transfusions;
• the possibility of using only the patient’s own blood rather than donor blood during surgery.

Blood transfusion, in fact, is equivalent to administering a medication.

“When I transfuse a patient. I am administering a drug. If I can avoid transfusion, I spare the patient potential infectious risks and other complications. We have been implementing this protocol for several years at Istituto Clinico San Rocco and Istituto Clinico S. Anna, achieving excellent results, not only in terms of blood conservation, but above all in patient satisfaction,” concludes the specialist.