What happens to the Blood I donate?

Learn About Blood
This red liquid carries oxygen and nutrients to all parts of the body, and carries carbon dioxide and other waste products back to the lungs, kidneys and liver for disposal. It fights against infection and helps heal wounds, so we can stay healthy. Learn More

There's no substitute for blood. If people lose blood from surgery or injury or if their bodies can't produce enough, there is only one place to turn - volunteer blood donors. Learn More

Blood Usage at the NIH Clinical Center
The blood you donate at the Blood Donor Center is used to support the many patients who come from all over the world to receive treatment. The whole blood and component requirements of the Clinical Center vary according to the needs of the current patient population. Typically, the following blood products are needed each month:

• 500 units of red blood cells to treat patients with chronic anemias associated with sickle cell disease, thalassemia, aplastic anemia, leukemia, or cancer
• 2,000 units of platelets to control bleeding in patients with leukemia, cancer, or who have had surgery
• 20 units of cryoprecipitate for patients with a variety of bleeding disorders
• 50 units of plasma for surgical patients, patients with cancer, and patients with immunologic deficiencies
• 200 units of granulocytes for patients with serious infections associated with hereditary abnormalities of the white blood cells

The blood you give is never wasted. It is used every day of the year to treat Clinical Center patients who are participating in the medical treatment and research programs of the NIH. If your blood is not required for immediate use, it may be frozen and stored. Fractions of blood unsuitable for transfusion are used for research. Occasionally the blood you give may not be required for a patient here, but it may be sent elsewhere in the community or the nation where it can be used to help save a life.

Please remember, there is no substitute for human blood. Human blood cannot be manufactured. People are the only source of blood. Much of the medical care of an NIH patient depends on the steady supply of blood from healthy, caring individuals like yourself. No miracle of modern medicine can help our patients who need blood if blood is not available.