21 years ago, the World Health Organization (WHO), together with international organizations, first proclaimed June 14 as World Blood Donor Day to remind people of the need for regular blood and plasma donations. In Germany, there is a shortage of donated blood, especially in the summer months. However, medical expert Prof. Kai Zacharowski does not believe that more blood needs to be donated overall. In “Forschung Frankfurt” (1/2024 edition), he argues above all for more careful handling of donated blood through the expansion of patient blood management. For example, autologous blood donations before long-planned operations could significantly reduce the need for external blood donations.
