The Australian Red Cross Blood Service is pursuing a strategy of reducing the number of scientists working on testing and processing blood donations and replacing scientists with workers at lower pay and conditions with fewer qualifications and experience. Some of the new positions do not even require any qualifications – just an ‘interest’ in the work.

Management at the Red Cross Blood Service are now describing the organisation as being a manufacturer, rather than a vital part of Australia’s public health system.
Removing scientist positions and reducing the Red Cross Blood Service’s world-class research capacity will have serious implications like mismatching of blood for transfusions, threatening the effective screening of blood for viruses and infections and not being able to supply safe blood to people in life threatening situations.

Sign our petition and make sure science stays at the Red Cross Blood Service to keep blood safe.

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Authorised by R Kelly, Executive Officer, Medical Scientists Association of Victoria, Level 1, 62 Lygon St, Carlton South