Hemochromatosis Blood: An untapped national resource?

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The use of blood taken from hemochromatosis patients is a hot topic right now over on the Hemochromatosis Facebook page. The are wide discrepancies in how medical facilities handle hemochromatosis blood.

So we want to highlight some useful resources that can help spread awareness of the fact that hemochromatosis blood is fine to donate and bank, just like "normal" blood:

The first item is a great way to educate people on this topic and it is easy to print out. So why not download it, print it up, and drop off a few copies at your doctor's office, health clinic, or blood donation center? The more people who know hemochromatosis blood can be used, the stronger our country's blood supply will become. Consider this:

  • Hemochromatosis patients give a lot more blood than the average citizen, particularly in the early stages of treatment.

  • You can't "catch" hereditary hemochromatosis, the blood is safe to use.

  • Too many clinics still throw the blood away or charge to "filter" it, which is a shameful waste of a precious resource.

  • You could make the difference at your local clinic by passing along this information.


(Never, and we mean NEVER, assume that doctors and nurses know about hemochromatosis blood. With all the paperwork they have to wade through these days, and the sheer pace of new medical discoveries, it is understandable that some doctors and nurses will have missed the latest on hemochromatosis.)

So here's your chance to help. Hand out professional, medically reviewed information about this surprisingly common condition that comes with one amazing benefit: Treatment involves giving blood, good healthy, bankable blood for our nation's blood supply.

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