Blood Safety

The top priority the American Red Cross Blood Services is safety - for both the blood and donor and the transfusion recipient.

Not only does every ounce of blood or blood product the Red Cross provides meet or exceed state and federal safety guidelines, it must also pass through seven lines of safety:

The Seven Lines Of Safety

  • The Best Source

    Since all blood the Red Cross collects comes from healthy donors, any incentives that could induce an unhealthy person to donate are eliminated.


  • Education

    Before anyone donates blood, the Red Cross provides donors with a comprehensive list of risk behviors for infectious diseases. Donors are encouraged to defer themselves in any of thse reasons apply to them.


  • Pre-Check

    Using a hand-held computer, Red Cross staff cross checks the potential donor's social security number against the donor deferral registry to confirm that the individual is indeed eligible to donate on this date.


  • The Personal Interview

    Through personal interviews, the Red Cross health professionals screen every single donor to determine whether the is any reason why that individual should not be donating. If even one reason is discoverd, the person will not be allowed to donate.


  • Confidential Unit Exclusion

    Following the interview, every donor goes into a private are to confidentially choose one of two indentifying bar code labels. One of these labels indicates the donor believes his blood should not be used for some reason. This safety step allows people who might be donating in response to peer pressure, to prevent their blood from being transfused without anyone else knowing.


  • The Donor Call Back Card

    The Red Cross provides every donor a card listing a toll-free number which he/she can call later if a donor learns of any reason why his/her blood should not be used. For example, if a donor comes down with flu symptoms soon after donating, the Red Cross should know to avoid transfusing a hospital patient with that blood.


  • Rigorous Laboratory Testing

    Only if a donation makes it through the first six safety steps does it enter the laboratory for testing.