ASCP Advocates for Health Equity in Underrepresented Populations

ASCP honored National Minority Health Month during April by highlighting its initiatives that target improvements in health equity. During the past year, ASCP has advocated for the creation of a national patient-centered red blood cell exchange to aid sickle cell disease and other patients. Such a database would reduce the number of life-threatening complications that could occur when sickle cell patients and others receive transfusions that are not appropriately antigen-matched. 

Additionally, ASCP has collaborated with the American Society of Hematology and others to educate the field about a reference range issue related to Duffy null associated neutrophil count (DANC). This issue impacts individuals from areas where malaria is endemic, commonly those of African or Middle Eastern ancestry. These individuals are sometimes ineligible to receive chemotherapy and other medications due to normal variant in neutrophil count. Read more about these initiatives by clicking here.
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