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- Australia has one of the safest blood supply systems in the world.
- You can donate whole blood every 12 weeks.
- O negative blood is universal and can be given to anyone.
- Plasma and platelet donations can be made every 2 weeks.
- Every whole blood donation can save 3 lives.
- 1 in 3 people will need blood. Only 1 in 30 gives blood.
- Australia needs over 27,000 blood donations every week.
- 470mL of blood is collected when you give whole blood.
- Within 24-48 hours of giving blood, your blood volume is completely restored.
- Giving blood only takes about an hour.
- Plasma donations can be used to make 17 different products.
- Red blood cells have a shelf life of 42 days.
- 34% of donated blood goes towards helping cancer patients.
- You can start giving blood at 16.
- The blood service has been collecting blood for over 80 years.
- You can donate double platelets – helping twice as many people.
- Platelets have a shelf life of only 5 days.
Professional organisations
The Australian and New Zealand Society of Blood Transfusion specialists is the professional body for individuals from diverse scientific, technical and medical backgrounds working in blood transfusion and transfusion medicine.
The Australasian and South East Asian Tissue Typing Association Inc
Government
Australian Government organisation which assists Australian businesses to market their services and products for export.
Australian Government department responsible for medical, pharmaceutical and hospital services, community and residential aged care and ageing issues.
The NBA is the single purchaser of blood and blood products on behalf of all Australian Governments. It is part of the portfolio responsibility of the Federal Minister for Health and Ageing.
The Australian regulator of therapeutic goods, devices, blood and tissues.
Affiliated organisations
Australia's link to a worldwide network of donor registries of unrelated donors.
The Australian Red Cross is part of the international humanitarian movement of the Red Cross and is our parent organisation.
As part of a national network, DonateLife™ agencies work with hospitals across Australia to coordinate the donation of organs and tissue for transplantation.
The international body to which we are affiliated.
Research collaborators
Healthcare with a focus on assisting people with some of the most complex conditions, eg. haemophilia, cancer, immune disorders and kidney disease.
A global, specialty biopharmaceutical company that develops, manufactures and markets products to treat and prevent serious human medical conditions.
Located in Perth, Western Australia, Curtin University is a member of the Australian Technology Network.
A public teaching hospital and medical school, co-located with Flinders University and Flinders Private Hospital.
The Macfarlane Burnet Institute for Medical Research and Public Health Limited is Australia's largest communicable diseases research institute, investigating viral infections such as HIV/AIDS, hepatitis and measles.
General interest
Specialises in the technology of blood collection and processing
Australia's national fractionator of plasma-derived therapeutics.
Community organisations
HFA represents people with haemophilia, von Willebrand disorder and other related bleeding disorders.
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