Schumer: New York Blood Supply Reaching Dangerously Low Levels Throughout Upstate

SCHUMER: NEW YORK BLOOD SUPPLY REACHING DANGEROUSLY LOW LEVELS THROUGHOUT UPSTATE - WITH SURGERIES GETTING POSTPONED, SENATOR UNVEILS NEW PLAN TO PROMOTE BLOOD DONATIONS

With Less Than One Day Supply of Type 'O' Blood Available In Red Cross New York-Penn Region, Red Cross Issues Statewide Warnings and Hospitals Feel Impact

Schumer Urges Federal, State, and Local Governments to Give Comp Time for Workers Who Donate Blood; Asks HHS to Launch Massive Ad Campaign To Boost Donations

Senator To Reveal Specific Quantities of Blood Shortages In Every Part of New York, Impact on Local Hospitals, And How Many Donors In Each County Needed To Return Supply To Safe Levels

With blood shortages threatening to delay elective surgeries, U.S. Senator Charles E. Schumer today unveiled a new five-point plan designed to dramatically boost blood donations. Right now, New York State blood supply is 25 percent below target levels. Schumer called on state, federal and local governments and businesses to start granting comp time this week to employees who donate blood. Schumer also urged the Department of Health and Human Services to launch a public relations campaign to boost donations nationwide.

"We all want to make sure there is a steady, safe supply of blood available for whenever we need it" Schumer said. "When the supply of blood is low, it threatens basic patient safety and the public health. The good news is, it is very easy to get our supply back to normal levels and if we all do our small part, we'll be fine."

Schumer today issued a new report showing the severity of the blood shortage in every region of the state, including where surgeries are getting postponed because of low blood supply. Schumer's report details how low blood supplies are in each area, the impact on local hospitals and patients, and a county-by-county analysis showing how few donations are needed in order to return blood supply to safe levels, typically meaning a 5-7 day supply is available.

In today's report, Schumer said that, approximately 8500 units/donors are needed throughout Upstate New York. Specifically, Schumer found that:
• In the Capital Region, 1,000 additional donors are needed this month to return to the local blood supply to a safe level.
• In Central New York, 900 additional donors are needed this month to return to the local blood supply to a safe level.
• In the Rochester/Finger Lakes region, 1,800 additional donors are needed this month to return to the local blood supply to a safe level.
• In the Hudson Valley 2,000 additional donors are needed this month to return to the local blood supply to a safe level.
• In the North County 500 additional donors are needed this month to return to the local blood supply to a safe level
• In the Southern Tier 700 additional donors are needed this month to return to the local blood supply to a safe level.
• In Western New York 1600 additional donors are needed this month to return to the local blood supply to a safe level.

In order to combat the severe blood shortage, Schumer urged Governor Pataki to offer comp time to state employees who donate blood during the workday, and called on local businesses to follow suit in an effort to encourage a culture of donation.

In addition, Schumer unveiled a comprehensive 5-point plan to significantly ramp up federal efforts to increase the blood supply in New York and in the nation. Specifically, Schumer wrote to U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Michael O. Leavitt urging him to:

1. Declare a Blood Shortage Emergency in the State of New York, effective immediately.

2. Immediately allocate $10 million to be used for a widespread campaign to promote blood donation, including public service announcements; subway, bus, and commuter rail posters; newspaper ads and billboards; and the purchase of 10 new mobile donating vehicles to make donating blood as convenient as possible.

3. Create a taskforce to develop an intense, sustained national effort to bolster awareness of the dire need for regular blood donation, and encourage a culture of responsibility around the practice.

4. Expand its efforts to increase donation in the workplace such as its Workplace Partnership for Life program, whose participants educate their employees on the importance of and ways to donate blood and other tissues, by: (a) recruiting federal and state employers to participate; (b) urging participants to host a minimum of one blood drive per year; and (c) encouraging participants to offer comp time to employees who donate blood.

5. Invest in research efforts directed at improving our understanding of how mad cow disease and other emerging diseases may be carried in our blood and expanding research and development toward ensuring a safe and adequate blood supply, including technology to extend the shelf life of human blood and improve the efficiency of blood collection

"These are common sense steps that could save lives and go a long way toward solving this shortage," Schumer said. "Government, businesses, and all New Yorkers must do everything possible to ensure all hospitals are able to care for their patients, especially those who are in serious condition."

Click here to view report - http://schumer.senate.gov/SchumerWebsite/pressroom/special_reports/2005/07.13.05%20Blood%20Shortage.pdf

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