The impact of COVID-19 on blood safety and availability in the Islamic Republic of Iran.

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic has affected blood inventory and donation worldwide. The Islamic Republic of Iran was among the first countries to report the COVID-19 pandemic and it faced a significant blood shortage during the first weeks of the pandemic.

Aims: We aimed to evaluate the impact of COVID-19 pandemic on the number, type, and safety of blood donations, comparing the periods before and during the pandemic.

Risk factors associated with human immunodeficiency virus infection in blood donors in Iran: A case-control study.

Background: Despite setting the stringent criteria for the selection of safe donors, some human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-positive volunteers manage to give blood. Considering the window period of screening tests, this could endanger the safety of blood supply.

Materials And Methods: A frequency match case-control study was conducted on HIV-positive and negative blood donors in Iran from 2007 to 2008.

A country-wide comparison of cost recovery and financing systems of blood and blood products.

Background: As blood is a scarce and expensive resource, irrational blood usage places huge burden on health expenditures. In response to this challenge, governments and health care providers are developing different strategies to optimize blood utilization. Among these strategies is trying to raise the public awareness on the actual costs of the blood production and changing the cost recovery systems of blood and blood components.