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In the 50 years since the inception of its national civilian blood services program, the American Red Cross made several important contributions in the health care field, made major improvements to blood safety, and developed new blood products and technologies, helping to satisfy the changing health care needs of our country. In 1991, a comprehensive program was launched to modernize and standardize Red Cross blood collection, testing, processing and distribution systems. Today, the Red Cross receives nearly six million volunteer blood donations a year and serves over 3,000 hospitals nationwide. Patients undergoing surgery, accident victims, cancer patients, and hemophiliacs are among the many who receive life-saving blood provided by the Red Cross