Diversity in blood donors is crucial; there is a deficit in ethnic minority donors, which has a severe impact on the treatment of people with conditions such as sickle cell disease and thalassemia. Here, Kenneth Charles, MBBS, FRCP, FRCPath(Haem), from the University of the West Indies (St Augustine), Mount Hope, Trinidad & Tobago, discusses possible reasons for this trend, and highlights the importance of engaging young people from minority groups in the culture of blood donation. This interview was conducted at the British Society for Haematology (BSH) 2018 Annual Meeting, in Liverpool, UK.
Why is there a deficit in ethnic minority blood donors?
