Study Finds Refrigerated Platelets Can Be Safely Stored for Up to Three Weeks
What's Happening
A new study has found that platelets can be safely refrigerated and stored for up to three weeks without losing their ability to control bleeding, a breakthrough that could significantly improve the U.S. blood supply.
The findings, published in JAMA, come from a clinical trial involving 1,000 children and adults undergoing cardiac surgery at 27 hospitals in the United States and Australia. Researchers found that refrigerated platelets stored for as long as 21 days were just as effective at treating bleeding as conventionally stored platelets, which are kept at room temperature and expire after five to seven days. The results are currently under review by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and regulators in other countries.
Why This Is Important
Platelets are a critical blood component used to help stop bleeding in patients undergoing surgery, trauma care, cancer treatment, and other medical procedures. Today, donated platelets are stored at room temperature because of decades-old concerns that refrigeration would reduce their effectiveness. However, their short shelf life means a significant number of platelet units expire before they can be used. Researchers estimate that a substantial portion of the approximately 2.5 million platelet units collected annually in the United States is discarded because of expiration. Extending storage to three weeks could dramatically reduce waste while improving access for hospitals.
What the Study Found
Researchers compared patients receiving standard room-temperature platelets stored for less than seven days versus refrigerated platelets stored for up to 21 days. The study found that chilled platelets controlled bleeding just as effectively as conventionally stored platelets, and extending storage could more than triple platelet availability while significantly reducing wastage caused by expiration.
Industry Impact
- Hospitals: Community and rural hospitals often avoid stocking platelets because the short shelf life leads to high waste. Longer storage could make it practical for more hospitals to maintain platelet inventories.
- Blood Banks: Blood collection organizations could improve inventory management, reduce discarded units, and make platelet supplies more reliable during shortages.
- Patients: Patients experiencing severe bleeding—including those undergoing cardiac surgery, trauma care, or emergency procedures—could benefit from improved access to this life-saving blood product.
- Healthcare System: Reducing platelet waste could improve the resilience of the U.S. blood supply while lowering costs associated with collecting, transporting, and replacing expired units.
Looking Ahead
The study results are being reviewed by the FDA as regulators evaluate whether refrigerated platelet storage should become an approved standard of care. If adopted, the change could reshape blood banking practices by extending platelet shelf life from about one week to three weeks, improving supply across the United States.
Why This Matters
Platelets are among the most difficult blood products to manage because of their extremely short shelf life. Demonstrating that refrigerated platelets remain safe and effective for up to three weeks could strengthen the nation's blood supply, reduce waste, improve access for rural hospitals, and help ensure life-saving transfusions are available when patients need them most.
Key Takeaways
- Researchers found refrigerated platelets remain effective for up to 21 days.
- The study involved 1,000 patients across 27 hospitals in the U.S. and Australia.
- Longer storage could more than triple platelet availability while reducing waste.
- Rural and community hospitals could benefit from improved access to platelet supplies.
- The FDA is reviewing the findings as it considers potential changes to platelet storage standards.
What This Means for Healthcare Marketers
The study highlights continued innovation in transfusion medicine, blood banking, and hospital supply chain management. Blood centers, hospitals, diagnostic laboratories, transfusion services, and healthcare technology providers will closely monitor potential changes to platelet storage standards that could improve inventory management and patient care. For healthcare marketers, organizations involved in transfusion medicine, laboratory services, hospital operations, and blood management represent high-intent opportunities for provider education, clinical communications, and healthcare innovation initiatives.