An Oasis in the Platelet Desert?

A substantial proportion of the global population lacks reliable, timely access to platelet transfusions, largely due to constraints in donor supply and the inherently short shelf life of platelets. Even in high-income countries, including the US, platelet availability remains limited, as an aging donor population is not being sufficiently replenished by younger donors. As a result, the platelet supply is increasingly at risk of failing to meet clinical demand, particularly for cardiac surgery, the management of hypoproliferative thrombocytopenia in oncology patients, and the treatment of patients with acute or chronic bleeding disorders—needs that are all expected to rise as the population ages.