Clear policy failure.
As usual, and like most of Australia, Tasmania's health system is again failing to ensure adequate bloodstocks.

One in three Australians will need a blood donation during their lives, but only one in 30 Australians give blood.

While the Red Cross points out the seasonal decline in blood donors, the fact is- there is a year-round shortage of donors and stocks.

Although synthetic blood has been developed and successfully tested in the United States, its widespread use is still far off and marred by an unwillingness to use animal blood as the base product- so-called ‘ethical concerns’- instead relying solely on human blood. The chances are, someone who doesn’t want to milk blood from a primate, is letting humans go without.

While the artificial product can be stored much longer, donors are still required.

Government may be willing to ask the question- ‘why the shortage of such donors?’, but is unwilling to hear the answer- Government policy restricting the right to sell one’s blood. In the United States, most blood comes from paid donors. Even with blood treated as a commodity, as it should be, the country is plagued with shortages. It is only logical then, that the individual should be allowed to negotiate the price of her/his blood on an open market. With only 5% of the eligible population of the United States donating blood- suppliers will inevitably be paid very well. In the long-term, this will also lead to more Americans selling their blood, and more stocks.