Relates to review of blood donations of patients with certain illnesses

• Republican1

◆ The sponsor's argument

Why Michelle Hinchey says this is needed

In August 2017, the New York State Senate Task Force on Lyme and Tick- Borne Diseases, in conjunction with the Standing Committee on Health, conducted a public hearing to examine the impacts of Lyme and tick-borne illnesses in the state. While New York's history with these illnesses has been extensive, recent cases have highlighted their tragic conse- quences. At the hearing, public health officials, practitioners, and patients, spoke to the need for continued research, public awareness, and medical guidance in the identification, treatment, and prevention of Lyme and tick-borne illnesses. Included in these discussions, has been concerns expressed over blood donations and transfusions of blood that has Lyme or tick-borne illnesses present. Recent information has shown that these concerns are not unfounded. In 2012, the New York State Council on Human Blood and Transfusion Services issued a report on considerations related to babe- siosis, human ehrlichiosis, and human anaplasmosis infections and blood transfusions. The report noted that transmission of Babesia from blood or blood components was occurring with "increasing frequency," and at that time, there were four cases of transmission of human anaplasmosis in other areas of the country. The same year, the New England Journal of Medicine noted that babesiosis was the pathogen most often spread by blood transfusions. Nationally, it has been estimated that the number of cases of transfusion-transmitted babesiosis have almost quadrupled from the period of 1995-1999 and 2005-2009. In light of the high rates of infection in New York of Lyme and other tick-borne illnesses, as well as this state's unique status as the epicenter of this public health crisis, the implications these infections have on donated blood is ever-more significant. The FDA, as well as the American Red Cross, have begun research to examine these concerns, along with medical researchers and academic institutions. This legislation will require the Council to reexamine the issues surrounding blood donations and Lyme and tick-borne related illnesses, and issue recommendations to the Commissioner based on current medical knowledge. As information continues to emerge, it is important that the threats of Lyme and tick-borne diseases be reanalyzed in light of new medical information and research.

This is the sponsor's own case for the bill, quoted from their memorandum. It is not Agora's description of what the bill does.