World Health Organization fact sheet, “Blood safety and availability”
“Blood can be used more effectively if it is processed into components, such as red cell concentrates, platelet concentrates, plasma and cryoprecipitate. In this way, it can meet the needs of more than one patient.”
The fact sheet reports that 98% of blood collected in high-income countries is separated into components, compared with 94% in upper-middle-income, 81% in lower-middle-income and 52% in low-income countries.
Official source (opens in new tab)
Provenance and verification note for World Health Organization fact sheet, Blood safety and availability
Confidence note. Opened on who.int on 19 September 2026; wording and figures confirmed.
Corroborated by. src-nhs-2025-blood-transfusion
Notes. Establishes that component therapy, not whole blood, is the norm in modern transfusion practice, which is why the 2026 change affects most transfusions a Witness patient is likely to be offered.
Accessed. 19 September 2026 · Source ID. src-who-2026-0612-blood-safety