French Blood Service flags summer shortages in Basque Country and Pays de la Loire

The French Blood Service (EFS) warned that blood reserves are under pressure this summer as vacations and high temperatures reduce collections. In the Basque Country, the Biarritz donation centre aims to collect 450 plasma donations and will keep mobile collections running in towns such as Ciboure, Ascain, Hendaye and others throughout July and August.

In the Pays de la Loire region, the heat wave caused a deficit of about 2,500 donations in three weeks, prompting EFS to call donors for blood, platelets and plasma. Seven local donation sites – including Nantes, Angers and Le Mans – and 260 mobile collection events have been scheduled to restore supplies and meet unchanged patient needs.