Transfusing Hope: Gifting Life Through Plasma Donation

How Health Tech is Transforming Thalassemia Care

Diagnostics|Jan. 16, 2025

It’s not often that the thought of blood crosses one’s mind. We don’t find a reason to think about it in our daily lives unless a gash or a wound makes it visible. But for people with Thalassemia— a condition that calls for regular blood transfusions and relies on blood donation— the reality is quite different.

Thalassemia is a rare inherited condition caused by an abnormality in the production of      hemoglobin, the protein responsible for ferrying oxygen in red blood cells. It affects millions worldwide, including a substantial number in India where 100,000 to 1,50,000 thousand children live with the most severe form called thalassemia major. This condition can cause anemia and fatigue, requiring blood transfusions from an early age. Each year brings 10,000 to 15,000 new thalassemia major cases in India.

People with thalassemia major may need blood transfusions as often as once a month. The dependence on external blood support and managing the logistics of frequent laboratory and clinic visits takes a toll on patients and caregivers. This is true especially for young kids, who are unable to fully understand the complexities of their health and treatment protocols. The lives of families dealing with this condition may be eased if they can be assured of the ready availability of safe, sufficient blood supply.   

Strengthening the Lifeline

A national survey estimated that while the country's clinical demand for whole blood units stands at 14.6 million, the supply only meets 93% of that requirement. This leaves an annual shortage of approximately one million units. Moreover, stringent protocols ensure each donation meets the recipient's specific blood type and red blood cell count requirements. This meticulous checking can be done with accuracy on a small scale. But people with thalassemia major regularly need over 200 ml of packed red blood cells annually, to manage their condition. Thoroughly vetting and coordinating the vast number of transfusions required by India's thalassemia major population calls for a more uniform, technologically aided approach.

Healthcare systems aim to bridge this gap by boosting blood and plasma diagnostics to simultaneously protect the safety of the global supply, while enhancing operational efficiency. Modern blood-testing innovations utilize sophisticated immunoassay techniques to detect viral pathogens, antigens, and antibody markers with extremely high sensitivity and accuracy. This allows blood banks and transfusion centers to safeguard the blood and plasma samples from infectious threats. Transformative screening technologies bring in comprehensive solutions spanning test processing and results reporting, boosting quality and productivity across the entire laboratory workflow. Furthermore, software compatibility means that this technology can be linked with any modern laboratory.

Beyond the Lab    

Digital tools have the power to improve people’s experience of blood donation. In a study, of the 142 volunteer blood donors who reported pre-donation anxiety, 68.4% stated that the ability to transport to a digital world while still being aware of their surroundings helped assuage their fears of pain, needles, fainting and the unknown. For instance, mixed reality applications have shown promise in easing donor anxiety and increasing the likelihood of repeat donations - a pivotal factor in securing enough blood for those with thalassemia.      Of those who tried the mixed reality experience, 89.2% stated that they would be likely to donate again under the same circumstances.

    From enhancing donor experiences to ascertaining transport security, these diagnostic tools have the potential to strengthen the entire transfusion ecosystem.         

Looking ahead, the future of transfusion medicine is rife with possibilities as technologies continue to rapidly evolve. Tech integration could help solve the perpetual challenge of ensuring a sufficient, safe blood supply for thalassemia patients and others who need it.     

Though technology by itself is not a panacea, widespread awareness, education and concerted efforts by governments, healthcare systems and communities remain crucial to inspiring a new generation of donors. Every drop of clean, safe blood matters, and by combining modern innovations with sustained outreach, we can make sure it continues to flow through reliable streams of life-giving donations for those who need it the most.

Disclaimer: The information mentioned in this document is only suggestive /for patient education and shall not be considered as a substitute for doctor’s advice or recommendations from Abbott. Please consult your doctor for more information.