Haemoglobin and screening practices

Pre-donation determination of hemoglobin (Hb) level in candidate blood donors is a pre-requisite in the majority of blood services and is used to ensure donor safety and blood product quality. However, a variety of Hb testing strategies are used across blood services to satisfy this selection criterion. This study aimed to identify how Hb screening practices vary across blood donation services and to what extent they influence deferral rates for low Hb. An online survey was performed among members of the Biomedical Excellence for Safer Transfusion (BEST) Collaborative. Additionally, data from literature were used to extend the dataset. The survey involved a detailed assessment of Hb screening practices, numbers of donations and low Hb deferrals for male and female donors separately. The survey and the project are ongoing.