DEIBXXEM2408 - CME/CMLE - Where Are We Now? Transgender Issues in Blood Banking and Cellular Therapy-Where Are We Now? Transgender Issues in Blood Banking and Cellular Therapy

Video Transcription

Video Summary

Brian Atkins, an assistant professor and medical director, discusses the challenges and considerations related to transgender issues in blood banking and cellular therapy. He clarifies key definitions including sex assigned at birth, legal sex, cisgender, and transgender, and highlights demographics revealing a significant and growing transgender population, especially among younger generations. <br /><br />Atkins notes that while blood donation policies have historically been conservative, efforts are underway to become more inclusive. Challenges include adjusting donor health questionnaires to be less cis-normative, assessing HIV risk, and modifying transfusion procedures to consider transgender and non-binary individuals' unique risks, such as TROLLI and RH alloimmunization.<br /><br />Moreover, there's a need for improved sensitivity training for healthcare providers and blood center staff. Atkins advocates for policies that involve the LGBTQ+ community, ensuring both compassionate care for donors and safe blood products for recipients. He also stresses that engaging younger, diverse donors is crucial for meeting future healthcare needs. <br /><br />Overall, the discussion underscores the necessity of policy evolution and increased awareness to ensure equitable treatment and optimal healthcare outcomes for transgender individuals in the blood donation and cellular therapy sectors.

Keywords

transgender issues

blood banking

cellular therapy

donor policies

HIV risk

sensitivity training

LGBTQ+ community