Red Cross Breaks Safety Laws

It's not bad enough that the head of the Red Cross makes a larger salary than the President of the United States. It's not bad enough that the Red Cross asks for donations for Katrina, and then uses some of the money for something else. Now the Red Cross is putting lives in danger! What has happened to this once wonderful organization?

It turns out that the Red Cross has taken blood from people returning from malaria infested parts of the world. Even worse, they have allowed blood to be distributed that was not properly tested. These are serious crimes for an organization that says it exists to help people. Because they violated these safety laws, the U.S. Food & Drug Administration has fined the Red Cross $4.2 million. This is in addition to $5.7 million in fines since 2003 for other violations.

Red Cross officials say the fines will be paid by selling donated blood. What? The Red Cross sells the blood that was donated to them to help disaster victims? I always thought the donated blood went to needy victims free of charge. I was wrong. The donated blood is just another money-making venture for the Red Cross, and they are so greedy they will sell the blood without properly testing it.

It looks to me like this organization has lost its way. They now seem to be more concerned with themselves and their own well-being, than they are with helping disaster victims. Very disappointing.