358: FDA Blood Supply Proposal, Improving Perinatal Outcomes

ROBERT JOHNSON:

This is Public Health Review Morning Edition for Wednesday, February 15, 2023. I'm Robert Johnson. Now, today's news from the Association of State and Territorial Health Officials.

ELIZABETH TILSON: 

We've been very supportive of this potential policy for more than a year, and we're excited to work with ASTHO and many other state health officials across the country really advocating for this science-based policy change.

JOHNSON:

North Carolina Health Director Dr. Elizabeth Tilson on the FDA's proposal to use an individual risk assessment when deciding who can or cannot donate blood.

TILSON:

We really wanted to applaud FDA to use science and data in their proposed policy. By doing so, really ending the discriminatory exclusion of gay and bisexual men, which helps to decrease that stigma in our LGBT community.

We also are excited because, really, donating blood is one of the most selfless acts as a way that people can contribute to the community. And so really excited that now more people will have the ability to participate in public service.

JOHNSON:

Tilson says the policy, if approved, will have a positive impact on the blood supply program,

TILSON:

One, this step actually increases the safety of the blood supply by looking at risky behaviors of both men and women.

Two, it will save lives because we'll increase the number of people who are actually eligible to donate. There's an estimation that maybe more than a half a million more pints of blood will be available every year to save lives.

JOHNSON: 

Tilson says her colleagues can be confident when explaining the proposal to people who may be worried about it.

TILSON:

So, what I would suggest is what we did, which was really lean in hard on our HIV subject matter experts to really understand the science and the data between the risk assessments and also the sensitivity of the blood testing. And so, that we leaned in hard on that, we felt very, very, very comfortable with the science of this policy change.

And again, not only that, it will probably decrease the risk of HIV in the blood.

JOHNSON: 

The FDA's public comment period for the proposal opened in late January. Comments are set to close in late March. You can read more using the link in the show notes.

Public health leaders can learn more about risk appropriate care for pregnant people and infants thanks to a collaboration between ASTHO, the CDC, and others.

This is ASTHO's Sanaa Akbarali.

AKBARALI:

So, risk appropriate care is a strategy to improve perinatal health outcomes by providing care to pregnant persons and infants in facilities with personnel and services that are capable of meeting their health needs.

JOHNSON:

Akbarali helped write an article about the work for the Journal of Perinatology. It reviews work done in the field and policies in place to support pregnant people and their babies.

AKBARALI:

RAC really is a critical strategy in reducing maternal and neonatal morbidity and mortality by ensuring that birthing and pregnant individuals and their infants receive the care they need, especially those that are at highest risk.

JOHNSON: 

Akbarali wants ASTHO members to know more about the concept and the resources available if they want to do more with this population.

AKBARALI:

So, it's important that state health officials are familiar with the concept of risk appropriate care, aware of their state policies, and work with their agencies and partners to strengthen systems of care for pregnant and birthing individuals and their infants.

JOHNSON 

You can read the article in the Journal of Perinatology using the link in the show notes.

Also today, you can monitor changes in public health policy across the country if you sign up for ASTHO's legislative alert emails--there's a link in the show notes.

And finally this morning--if you want to help us grow the newscast, you can do two things: follow us on this podcast player, and leave a five-star review. We'll say thank you in advance.

That'll do it for today's newscast. We're back tomorrow morning with more ASTHO news and information.  

I'm Robert Johnson. You're listening to Public Health Review Morning Edition. Have a great day.