Guaranteed transfusions, boom in plasma donations and greater involvement of young people (18-25) and women. This is what emerges from the data relating to the collection and utilisation of blood and blood components, processed by the National Blood Centre and presented at the conference “Sangue e plasma: sfide, strategie e soluzioni condivise” organised by the Italian Red Cross to promote the culture of voluntary donation.

Opened by the President of the Italian Red Cross, Rosario Valastro, the event was held in the Aula Magna of the Guglielmo Marconi University, in the presence of representatives of the CNS, the scientific societies and the main donor associations, and with the remote participation of the Minister of Health, Orazio Schillaci, in view of World Blood Donor Day, which will be celebrated on June 14.

2024 Collection Data
The donations of blood and blood components in the year 2024 were over 3 million, with a growth of 1.1% compared to 2023. A result that was achieved thanks to a group of 1.67 million blood and blood component donors, mostly registered with the four main volunteer associations: AVIS, Italian Red Cross, FIDAS and FRATRES. Self-sufficiency in terms of transfusions was confirmed again this year, with the first benefactors being approximately 640 thousand patients (an average of 1,755 per day) who received a total of 2.3 million red blood cell transfusions (4.5 per minute).

Excellent results also for the donation of plasma, the liquid part of blood, necessary for the production of so-called plasma-derived medicinal products (PDMPs). In 2024, the collection in Italy was record-breaking, as it exceeded the threshold of 900 tons, with an increase of 3% compared to 2023. A positive trend also confirmed by the first preliminary data for the year 2025. This result is even more important, because the plasma donated in our country is still not sufficient to guarantee the needs of Italian patients, forcing the National Health System to find a quota of PDMPs on the international market.

The data also reveal a greater involvement of women and young people in the donation culture. In 2024, new donors between the ages of 18 and 25 numbered over 75,000, an increase of 5% compared to the previous year. New female donors numbered 127,000 (+1.1%). These signals are particularly encouraging because, in a blood system that confirms its solidity year after year, the main elements of concern are the generational turnover of the donor population and a lower involvement of female donors. And it is precisely to the younger people and women that a series of communication initiatives launched by the Ministry of Health, the National Blood Centre and the donor associations were aimed in the past year, including the “Globuli Rosa” observatory and the “Dona vita, dona sangue” campaign, which in the past had such testimonials as the actor Carolina Crescentini and the rugby star and tv show host Martin Castrogiovanni.

Statements
“The donation culture is already widespread in Italy, but it must be supported and promoted so that it becomes increasingly widespread and rooted. Raising awareness among more and more citizens to make this choice is a priority that sees us constantly engaged, together with the Italian Red Cross, the National Blood Centre, all the Donation Associations and scientific societies. The data presented today confirm the importance of a continuous commitment also to strengthen the culture of donation among young people and encourage the generational turnover of donors. Donating blood is an act of generosity and solidarity that we must not stop cultivating”. Thus the Minister of Health, Orazio Schillaci.

“The numbers for 2024 are certainly good,” comments the Director of the National Blood Center, Vincenzo De Angelis, “but all the players in the blood system will still have to work hard to ensure continuity for these trends. Because problems such as the progressive aging of the donor population and the lack of self-sufficiency in terms of plasma-derived medicinal products are not issues that can be resolved in a year. The path is certainly the right one, but it must be followed to the right destination.”

“Donating is a gesture of love that costs nothing. An act as simple as it is concrete that can save the lives of many people. For this reason, it is important to work together, in synergy with institutions and associations, to promote the culture of giving and raise awareness among the population, in order to transform as many people as possible into active and responsible citizens, capable and aware that helping others is possible. Each of us, each of you, in their own small way, can make a difference”, Rosario Valastro, President of Italian Red Cross added., association that is part of CIVIS (Inter-associative Coordination of Italian Blood Volunteers), the organisation that brings together the main donor associations, of which it is currently the leader.

Blood and plasma donation
Blood and plasma donation is open to all citizens. All you need is a valid id card. The main requirements are: 18 years of age, at least 50 kg of weight, good health.

World Blood Donor Day
The day was established by the World Health Organization, in collaboration with IFBDO, the organisation that brings together blood donor associations from around the world, the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent and ISBT, the international association of transfusion doctors. World Blood Donor Day is celebrated on June 14th, the birthday of Karl Landsteiner, the Austrian scientist who discovered blood groups and co-discovered the Rh factor, and is an opportunity to celebrate and thank blood donors and to promote the values ​​of anonymous, voluntary, periodic and non-remunerated donation.