AM23-MN-11-O: The Science…or Not Behind Deferrals of Blood Donors With a History of Cancer (Enduring)

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and Association for the Advancement of Blood and Biotherapies (AABB) leave eligibility decisions to defer donors with a history of cancer to the medical director’s discretion. A 2022 survey among independent blood centers in North America determined current practices. The results will discuss medical directors’ responses to benign and malignant solid tumors, hematological malignancies, elevated white blood cell counts, and the presence of cancer but with no active treatment. It will also address post-donation reports of cancer, lookback, and donor re-entry strategies. Speakers will present a review of the prevalence of cancer in the donor population and case reports of solid organ and tissue donor-transmitted cancer (DTC) found in the literature. There will be a discussion on the theoretical risks of DTC and safety concerns from donors who may develop cancer shortly after donating. The data on the prevalence of cancer in the blood donors and results of studies addressing the risk of cancer transmission from transfusion will be presented. The session will close with a review of the precautionary principle and question its applicability to managing donors with a history of cancer.