Italy without blood supplies, here’s why and what will happen
Italy currently has supplies that are minimally above self-sufficiency: if the situation does not change and donors continue to decline, it will be necessary to import blood from abroad as soon as possible
ROME – Italy’s future is bloodless. Yes, because donors are decreasing and the population is growing. If things do not change (currently blood supplies slightly exceed the self-sufficiency threshold), Italy in the not too distant future will find itself having to depend on other countries for blood supplies. Both those for medical and surgical use, and those that may become necessary in the event of extreme events such as earthquakes or disasters. The alarm was raised this morning, when presenting the National Observatory on Blood and Plasma Donation, which was created with the aim of raising awareness among institutions and public opinion on the issue of blood shortages. the presentation took place in the Crystal Room of the Hotel Nazionale in Rome.
The issue of blood shortage, which emerged this morning, is of growing importance not only in the healthcare sector, in the numerous cases in which normal medical-surgical care may be insufficient, but also in the case of exceptional events such as earthquakes, disasters or accidents. And, from the survey carried out by the research, intelligence and consultancy company Nomisma, presented during the event, an alarming fact emerged: although, at the moment, Italy can consider itself self-sufficient in blood production, in the future this self-sufficiency is destined to reduce, to the point of dependence on other states and the consequent need for imports.
THE DATA OF 2023
As indicated by the data of the National Blood Center, in 2023 the country reached a red blood cell production index of 42.8 units per 1,000 inhabitants, thus exceeding the threshold value of 40 units per 1,000 inhabitants to guarantee this self-sufficiency. However, as regards the collection of plasma, crucial for the production of plasma-derived drugs, Italy shows a marked dependence on foreign countries.
In 2023, plasma collection stood at just 15.3 kg per 1,000 inhabitants, below the self-sufficiency threshold of 18 kg per person. Furthermore, significant disparities in plasma collection between Italian regions are highlighted, with only seven of them exceeding this threshold.
DONORS DURING
This scenario is generated by the decline in the number of potential donors, especially among young people, and by the progressive increase in the aging of the population: from 2015 to 2024 the resident population aged between 18 and those aged 65, i.e. those who are allowed to donate blood, has, in fact, been reduced by 4.1%.
In parallel,the population over 65 grew by 11.3%: a figure destined to increase in the near future, to the point that in 2050 as many as 35% of the population residing in our country will be aged 65 or above, making the country’s self-sufficiency even further away.
To highlight the importance of donating and increase the number of donors, especially among the younger groups, it is essential to implementation of effective communication actions.
“From Nomisma’s research – comments the Industry, Retail and Services manager for Nomisma, Emanuele Di Faustino – it emerges that communication is fundamental to increase knowledge and awareness about blood donation in our country: in fact, only 1 Italian out of 2 claims to know the eligibility criteria for donating blood and 29% believe they do not have enough information on the practices, safety and benefits of donation, an incidence which rises to 38% among those under 30″.< br>“In this context – he continues – the preferred channels for Italians to be informed on this important issue arethe letter home from the Public Health Serviceor voluntary associations, the awareness campaigns on traditional media and the advice of the family doctor, albeit with differences between generations. Among Gen Z, the first channel of information becomes social networks, appreciated by 1 in 3 young people”.
The Observatory, established by the Association of Donors and Volunteers of State Police Personnel – ‘DonatoriNati’, and which also sees the participation of the Traffic Police, ANAS, the GIMEMA Foundation (Italian Group of Adult Hematological Diseases) and the Association of Family Victims of the Road, aims to systematize the commitment of other associations in the sector, public and private bodies, institutions and authorities, generating a technical and regulatory scenario from which to start for the planning of concrete actions aimed at identifying a solution to the problem of blood shortage.
Commenting on the birth of the Observatory, the president of ‘DonatoriNati’, Claudio Saltari, stated that he was ”honored to have our project shared by highly authoritative bodies and institutions. With a spirit of service, Born Donors seek dialogue with young people, who are largely absent from the donor pool, certain that a young person attracted to donating blood is automatically directed towards a “legal” lifestyle.
Hence the commitment of the Benefits division of FB & Associati, the first independent lobbying and advocacy company, in providing its support to the Association. “In 2022 FB&Associati became the first Benefit company in Italy in the lobbying sector – clarified Arianna Fanuli, Partner of FB&Associati – and, among the first objectives we set ourselves, we decided to guarantee support to Third Party Associations sector, offering them our expertise and concrete and effective collaboration to pursue issues of significant interest to the community”. “We have, therefore, enthusiastically welcomed the initiative of “DonatoriNati” and – he concluded – we believe in the value of this Observatory, which will highlight the lights and shadows of a voluntary activity, which can run the risk of being taken for granted, highlighting its importance in moments of greatest need”. The Observatory’s activities have also received the moral patronage of CONI.
