News and articles

Proposal to change the deferral policy for MSM donors

The Blood Service is proposing to relax the deferral rule for men who have sex with men (MSM) so that a history of male-to-male sexual activity would no longer automatically disqualify a prospective blood donor. An official regulation to change the policy is being drafted at the moment.

Blood Service to open a donor centre in Vantaa next year

The Finnish Red Cross Blood Service (FRCBS) is set to open a donor centre in the Jumbo/Flamingo shopping and entertainment centre in Vantaa in early 2024. The new site will replace the Kivihaka donor centre in Helsinki. The Vantaa centre will cater for both conventional blood donation and thrombapheresis, which is a special technique for collecting platelets.

FRCBS Annual Report for 2022 published

The Blood Service Annual Report for 2022 has been published. You will find all the key figures and statistics concerning Finnish Red Cross Blood Service and an overview of the most important changes and events that took place last year.

Patients still need help from blood donors over Easter

It is important that enough donors lend a helping hand on the days leading up to and immediately after Easter. The Blood Service centres are open on weekdays and on Easter Monday, the 10th of April.

Roche’s latest technology selected for the Blood Service laboratory

At the end of 2022, the Finnish Red Cross Blood Service (FRCBS) moved to new, modern premises in Vehkala, Vantaa, along the Kehä III ring road. Roche delivered Blood Service an automated sample processing line and equipment used in carrying out the necessary infection screening of blood donor samples. The new laboratory automation and analysis solution is the first of its kind, also on a global scale.

Applications invited for Blood Service research grants 2023

Call for applications for grants of the Blood Service Research Fund opens on 6 February 2023. The primary aim of the Fund is to support research related to the current and possible future products and services of the Finnish Red Cross Blood Service. The application period is from 6 February to 31 March 2023.

75 years of care: Blood Service celebrates its anniversary

Year 2023 marks the 75th anniversary of the start of operations of Finnish Red Cross Blood Service. The systemic collection of blood began in Finland during the war years. Established in 1948, the Blood Service has been responsible for the national blood supply chain with voluntary donors for decades, for the benefit of the patients.

New tissue typing methods for stem cell and organ transplantation applications

In organ and stem cell transplantation, the compatibility of the tissues between the patient and the donor plays an important role in the success of the transplantation. As part of the research for her doctoral dissertation, Tiira Johansson and her collaborators have developed new laboratory methods to support the research on tissue typing and cancer treatment.