Screening Blood Donors for Heart Disease and Diabetes Risk Factors
Program Code: 9221-TC
Sunday, October 25, 2009
2:00 PM to 3:30 PM (ET)

MODERATOR
Peter Tomasulo, MD, Blood Systems, Inc.

SPEAKERS
Debra Kessler, RN,MS, New York Blood Center
Merlyn Sayers, MB, BCh, PhD, Carter BloodCare
Ned Calonge, MD, MPH, Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment

DESCRIPTION
Each day tens of thousands of ostensibly healthy volunteer blood donors roll up their sleeves to donate blood. Only a small number of these donors, those who show positive serological evidence for transmissible infection, will realize any health benefit. This session will discuss a broader role blood centers could play in screening a large section of the population for risk factors associated with cardiovascular disease and diabetes. Blood center experts will discuss programs currently in place. A public health expert who is a member of the US Preventative Services Task Force will review screening recommendations from the task force.