Red Cross declares national blood supply crisis; Member Advisory includes resources to assist with donations

The American Red Cross July 27 declared a national blood supply crisis, as the organization said that blood donations have fallen to a four-year summer low. The organization said that it has less than a one-day national supply of type O positive blood and is limiting distribution of type O blood to hospitals. This year is the second time in its history that the Red Cross declared a national blood crisis, the first since January 2022.

An AHA Member Advisory released July 28 includes a call to action and resources regarding a July 24 statement from the Association for the Advancement of Blood and Biotherapies' Interorganizational Task Force on Domestic Disasters and Acts of Terrorism regarding the U.S. blood supply. The task force urged eligible donors to make and keep an appointment to donate blood as soon as possible. The Advisory includes links for AHA members to share to help eligible donors find their closest blood collection location.