LANSING, Mich. (Michigan News Source) – With blood donations on the decline since the COVID-19 pandemic started, a new set of bills soon to be introduced by State Representatives Rachel Hood (D-81, Kent County) and Republican State Representative Phil Green (D-67, Millington) could help solve part of that problem.

The set of bills soon-to-be introduced by the Michigan legislators, who are both on the House Health and Human Services Subcommittee, are hoped to be an effort that will lead to more blood donations. Even though 38% of the population is eligible to donate blood, only 3% do it and those numbers need to rise.

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The legislators are offering a $20 tax credit for each individual donation (up to a maximum of $100 annually) and providing tax breaks to businesses who allow employees to give blood during their working hours as incentives to get more people to donate blood.

At a press conference, Hood said, “Every day, people in Michigan communities need red blood cells, platelets and plasma to save lives and keep people healthy and strong These tax cuts encourage more people to donate blood so that these needs can be met.”

This legislation comes at a time when blood donations in Michigan are at a critical point. The Versiti Blood Center of Michigan introduced an emergency appeal for blood donations on January 10th. They said that with less than a day’s supply of lifesaving blood on the shelves for Michigan hospitals, patients’ lives are at risk.

The holiday season brought a downward trend in donations and has continued during the winter season. Dr. Dan Waxman, VP of transfusion medicine and senior medical director at Versiti said, “As we welcome the new year, we are seeing an uptick in emergency room visits and trauma patients requiring mass blood transfusions, decimating the blood supply.”

He went on to say, “Available blood across the state is dangerously low, and we are asking those who are able to make an appointment to donate today and to encourage a friend or family member to do the same.”

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Versiti reports that one in seven patients entering a hospital requires a blood product, ranging from trauma victims to patients battling sickle cell disease or receiving an organ or bone marrow transplant. Cancer patients use 25% of all blood donations and blood transfusions are needed in one out of every 83 newborn deliveries in America. They also report that one donation of blood has the potential to save up to three lives.

While all blood types are needed, O-positive and O-negative are in the most demand. O-positive is the most common blood type and O-negative blood is a universal type that can be received safely by all patients in emergencies when the blood type is unknown.

Donating blood takes about an hour and anyone who is 17-years-old or older in good health and meets eligibility requirements and has a photo ID with their birthdate can donate blood. 16-year-olds can donate blood with parental consent.