January is National Blood Donor Month aimed at raising awareness about blood donation’s importance, especially as the U.S. faces an emergency shortage due to a 40% drop in donations over the past 20 years. Many myths and fears keep healthy potential donors away. Dr. Jessica Jacobson, director of Blood Bank and Transfusion Medicine at Bellevue Hospital-New York University, dispels common misconceptions, assuring that blood donation is safe and doesn’t make a donor sick or deplete their blood supply. While some medications might disqualify a person from donating, most people with certain conditions, like high blood pressure, are eligible to donate blood. The average person can donate whole blood every 56 days.
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