Donor pool may rise as screening blood test falls

Article Abstract:

Elimination of an outdated screening test may increase the blood supply by classifying more volunteers as eligible to donate blood. The National Institutes of Health (NIH) recommends that the test for hepatitis B core antigen known as the alanine transaminase (ALT) test, be eliminated from the tests run on potential donors. Because ALT levels may be elevated in people who do not have liver disease, hundreds of thousands of healthy donors may have been prevented from donating blood. The NIH recommends that blood donations continue to be screened for hepatitis C antibody, HIV-1 and HIV-2 antibodies, human T-cell lymphotropic virus-1 antibodies, syphilis and hepatitis B surface and core antigens.

Standards, Testing, United States. National Institutes of Health, Blood, Blood banks

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A public health approach to making guns safer

Article Abstract:

Manufacturers can make guns safer by designing them with load indicators and safety features to prevent accidental firing, and push-button locking mechanisms that would allow only the owner to fire the gun. The lives of many children and young adults could be saved with these features. Crimes of passion and crimes involving stolen guns could be averted. In 1992, 13,220 people in the U.S. died from homicides in which handguns were used, and the violence continues to grow. The U.S. health care system is impacted by the high cost of treating victims of gun violence. Household items that are safer than handguns are subject to federal safety regulations that do not apply to guns.

Prevention, Causes of, Firearms, Homicide, Violence

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