An emergency blood shortage was reported Monday by the American Red Cross because of an "alarming drop" in supplies, the agency said.
The blood supply dropped about 25% in June, the Red Cross said.
"The American Red Cross is facing an emergency blood shortage and needs donors to give now and take steps to protect patient care," Sharon Kesselring, executive director of the American Red Cross of the Ohio River Valley, said. "A steep decline in blood donations since the end of May has created a growing gap between supply and patient need. Every donation is critical to rebuilding the nation's blood supply."
The shortage is especially serious for types O positive and B negative blood, the Red Cross said.
Red Cross distributions to hospitals are nearly 3,500 units higher per week than expected at a time when hospitals often see higher demand for blood products during the height of the trauma season. Also, busy schedules and the seasonal loss of school blood drives are driving the decline that could put patient care at risk if not reversed, the Red Cross said.
"The most important way to help end the blood shortage is to book an appointment," Kesselring said. "We're asking donors of all blood types to make an appointment to give blood as soon as possible."
In thanks, donors who give blood through July 31 will receive a Fandango Movie Ticket by email, worth up to $15 with ticket price and fees, she said. More information is available at RedCrossBlood.org/July.
An appointment to give blood can be made with the Blood Donor App, at RedCrossBlood.org or by calling 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767).
"A readily available blood supply serves as the backbone of modern medicine. Without it, lifesaving treatments and critical access points to care are not possible," Dr. Courtney Lawrence, medical director for the Red Cross, said. "Emergency departments, operating rooms, and labor and delivery units can’t support patients with the most urgent needs, and cancer patients must wait. We're asking donors to give now before doctors are forced to make those difficult decisions."