Bill > SR28

This Resolution urges the Blood Bank of Hawaii to promptly implement the Food and Drug Administration's (FDA) revised guidelines for blood donation eligibility, which reduce or remove the waiting periods, known as deferral periods, for certain individuals. These updated FDA guidelines, in place since at least August 2020, were developed in response to national blood shortages exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic and aim to increase the available blood supply. Specifically, the FDA has shortened deferral periods for men who have sex with men, female donors whose male partners have had sex with men, individuals who have recently received tattoos or piercings, and those who have traveled to malaria-endemic areas, and has eliminated deferrals for individuals who spent time in certain European countries or on European military bases due to concerns about Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease. The Blood Bank of Hawaii, which is the sole supplier of blood to hospitals in Hawaii and Guam and requires a daily influx of 150 donors to maintain adequate inventory, has stated it adheres to FDA regulations but has not yet adopted these crucial updates, despite the ongoing health crisis of blood shortages that significantly impacts patient care.