NHS Calls for More Black Blood Donors Amid Rise in Sickle Cell Disease

Rise in sickle cell disease prompts NHS call for more Black blood donors

Exclusive: Demand for blood to treat the rare disorder has soared by 132% in 10 years Demand for blood needed to treat rare disorders such as sickle cell has soared by more than 130% in 10 years, forcing the NHS to ask for more donors to come forward. Requests for haemoglobin S (HbS)-negative blood, the type most used in blood transfusions for sickle cell anaemia patients, stood at 82,181 units in 2015. But last year, more than 191,000 units were needed, a 132% increase. Continue reading...

By Tobi Thomas Health and inequalities correspondent