Red Cross History

The American Red Cross … Always there … Touching more lives … In new ways … Under the same trusted symbol.

The American Red Cross has been collecting blood in central Ohio since 1948. Since then, blood collections have grown from 50 donations to approximately 197,000 in the 2006 fiscal year. These lifesaving units of blood are supplied to 56 hospitals and transfusion facilities within a 27-county area in central Ohio. Each day in central Ohio, about 650 volunteer blood donors are needed.

In the almost 60 years since the inception of its national civilian blood services program, the American Red Cross made several important contributions in the health care field, made major improvements to blood safety, and developed new blood products and technologies, helping to satisfy the changing health care needs of our country. In 1991, a comprehensive program was launched to modernize and standardize Red Cross blood collection, testing, processing and distribution systems. Today, the national American Red Cross receives nearly 6 million volunteer blood donations a year and serves more than 3,000 hospitals nationwide. Patients undergoing surgery, accident victims, cancer patients, and hemophiliacs are among the many who receive lifesaving blood provided by the Red Cross. In the United States, someone needs blood approximately every 2 seconds.

Some highlights of developments for the Red Cross Blood Services …

2003	Double red cell technology allows donors who meet special qualifications to give twice as many red cells, while receiving back the other blood components.
2000	Columbus hosted the American Red Cross National Convention for the second time. Then Governor and Mrs. Taft invited 2,800 delegates and guests to “Discover Columbus” during the 75th national convention.
1999	The implementation of nucleic acid testing (NAT) is introduced to help add yet another layer of safety to blood products in the United States. NAT uses a new form of testing technology that can directly detect the genetic material of transfusion-transmitted viruses such as HIV and hepatitis C virus (HCV).
1998	The American Red Cross Blood Services, Central Ohio Region, celebrates its 50th anniversary.
1994-95	Nationwide Blood Donor Center opens – the first daily corporate center in the Red Cross.
1992-93	Local rare blood donor and two-time Heisman Trophy winner Archie Griffin (OSU) becomes the national spokesperson for the American Red Cross Rare Donor Registry.
1990-91	A more sensitive test for Hepatitis C and a combination test for HIV1 and HIV2 are introduced to further enhance the safety of the blood supply.
1989-90	Intraoperative Autologous Transfusion (IAT) department begins offering services to hospitals.
1989-90	Hepatitis C test is approved by FDA and instituted by region.
1988-89	HTLV-1 test institued for retro virus that causes rare but fatal type of leukemia, as well as neurological diseases.
1985-86	Region offers HIV testing of former patients who received blood transfusions, with only one positive test result.
1985-86	Region offers HIV testing of former patients who received blood transfusions, with only one positive test result.
1985-86	Region becomes pilot center for surgical bone procurement, one of 21 in American Red Cross system to include bone retrieval, processing and distribution for hospitals. Autologuous and directed donations become possible.
March 1985	Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approves HTLV-III test for AIDS; our region began immediate testing of all units as collected.
1983-84	Bone marrow transplant program begins at Ohio State University Hospitals, providing a new challenge to Blood Services to provide many specialized blood products.
1978	Name changed by national headquarters to American Red Cross Blood Services, Central Ohio Region.
1977	NBC4 begins its annual Give-in to assist the region with low-collection seasons.
1977	Federal government issues regulation requiring all blood to be labeled volunteer or paid; All ARC blood is already labeled volunteer.
1976	Apheresis collections begin; quality control is instituted in labs.
1972	Hepatitis test becomes mandatory at all American Red Cross Blood Centers; Donor Deferral Registry is created.
1963	Platelets are introduced in treatment of leukemia and Hodgkin's disease.
1962	Switching from glass bottles to plastic bags makes component preparation possible.
1950	First quota received from Defense Department. Red Cross is required to send 1,700 pints in December for processing into plasma, a 50% increase.
December 7, 1948	Ninety-three Farm Bureau Insurance (now Nationwide) employees donate blood on opening day at the Red Cross Blood Center.
1948	The U.S.government asks the American Red Cross to set up a volunteer blood donation system.