When GP Dr Toby Gardner has a patient with haemochromatosis he encourages them to donate their blood through Australian Red Cross Lifeblood rather than undergo therapeutic venesection.

So, he was taken aback this week when Lifeblood revealed that an estimated 73,000 bags of blood taken from haemochromatosis patients at GP clinics or pathology centres are being dumped each year. 

The discouraging estimate followed a survey of 4000 haemochromatosis patients who had previously donated blood to Lifeblood that revealed 40% were unaware the blood taken could be used to save lives.

This was despite 90% of such donations being usable.