Anesthesiologists are calling for changes to how hospitals use O-negative blood as supplies remain critically low, according to a March article published in Anesthesiology Open.
O-negative blood is limited, with about 8% of White/Caucasian individuals having the blood type and even lower rates among other racial and ethnic groups, the report said.
Brent Lee, MD, director of clinical performance and improvement at North American Partners in Anesthesia, said anesthesiologists administer up to 60% of all blood transfusions in the U.S., positioning them to help manage the supply. High-demand scenarios, such as mass casualty events, could deplete available O-negative blood and affect patient safety, the authors said.
The American Red Cross is encouraging donations throughout March 2026, offering a $15 Amazon gift card to donors to help rebuild supply levels. The authors recommended using O-positive blood for certain patients when appropriate, implementing blood-conservation strategies and accelerating blood typing to reduce reliance on O-negative units.
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