Blood Supply

When Acquired Immune Deficiency (AIDS) entered the U.S. population in the late 1970s and early 1980s, much was unknown about the disease and no test existed to detect the virus in blood. While initially confined to populations demonstrating high risk behavior, such as homosexuals and intravenous drug users, AIDS began to infect hemophiliacs and surgical patients who did not fit into such high risk categories. Members of the medical community soon determined that these patients had contracted the disease from donated blood and that the process used to break blood into its components did not kill the AIDS virus. Because of its minute size the virus passed through the filters used in the extraction process.

In 1985 a test was developed to detect the HIV virus in blood, and immediately every unit of donated blood was tested and those tainted with the virus removed from the blood supply. Donors are now carefully screened to eliminate any who might be at high risk of contracting AIDS. To eliminate the possibility of contracting this or any other blood-borne disease, patients who are scheduled to undergo surgery are urged to donate blood ahead of time so that their own blood can be transfused into them if needed.

It is important to know that a blood donor cannot contract AIDS or any other disease by donating blood. The equipment used to collect donated blood is used only the once and then discarded.