News and statements
Landmark change to blood donation eligibility rules on today’s World Blood Donor Day
New eligibility rules that will allow more men who have sex with men to donate blood, platelets and plasma come into effect this week.
NHSBT backs appeal for more Black blood donors launched today: United by Blood – Donating in Memory of Evan Nathan Smith
NHS Blood and Transplant (NHSBT) is supporting three social organisations who are today launching an appeal for Black blood donors in memory of Evan Nathan Smith, a young Black man who had sickle cell disease and died following a sickle cell crisis.
Blood donor selection policy: More people now able to give blood
Following the FAIR steering group’s recommendations and in line with the latest scientific evidence, blood donation will become more inclusive. More people could be eligible to donate blood based on their health, travel and sexual behaviour.
UK to change eligibility to give blood on World Blood Donor Day with launch of new donor safety assessment
Some of the questions that blood, plasma and platelet donors are asked to check their eligibility to donate will change from June 14 2021, marking an historic move to make blood donation more inclusive without affecting safety.
STRIDES study reaches million-donor milestone
The NHSBT blood donor management research project, STRIDES, now has more than one million donors taking part in the main cluster randomised trial, just 18 months after its launch.
Donations of plasma for use in medicines begin
People have started donating plasma to use in medicines for the first time in more than 20 years.
Church leaders back NHS campaign for more Black blood and organ donors this Easter
Black Christian church leaders are joining with NHS Blood and Transplant this Easter to urge more Black people to become blood and organ donors and give hope to patients in need of an ethnically matched donor.
NHS and Tropical Sun aim to start family ‘Heart to Heart’ about blood and organ donation
People across the country are being encouraged to have a ‘heart to heart’ as part of a new campaign to get people from Black and Asian backgrounds talking about blood and organ donation.
Funding boost to promote blood and organ donation amongst Black and Asian communities
35 community projects in England have received a share of £600,000 funding as part of the Government’s commitment to tackle health inequalities in Black and Asian communities.
UK plasma ban lifted
NHSBT welcomes the decision by Ministers to lift the ban on UK plasma for fractionation following a review by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) and the Commission on Human Medicines (CHM).