Skip to main content
PMC home page
Journal of Medical Ethics logoLink to Journal of Medical Ethics
. 2005 Feb;31(2):69–72. doi: 10.1136/jme.2002.001271

Demanding pure motives for donation: the moral acceptability of blood donations by haemochromatosis patients

G Pennings 1
PMCID: PMC1734081  PMID: 15681668

Abstract

Blood banks all over the world attempt to cover the demand for blood by donations from voluntary non-remunerated donors. The discussion regarding the acceptability of blood donations by haemochromatosis patients focuses on the question of whether health benefits violate the rule of the altruistic donor. Utilitarian and deontological arguments for and against the policy of accepting blood donors who need to let blood regularly in order to stay healthy are considered by this article. A closer look at the procedure reveals that the confusion is due to the conflation of, on the one hand the phlebotomy, and on the other hand, the decision about the destination of the blood afterwards. The health benefits are connected to the phlebotomy and not to the donation. The morally relevant point in the decision as to whether the candidate is a truly altruistic donor is whether he donates without asking for a benefit in return. It is concluded that haemochromatosis patients can be free, voluntary, and altruistic blood donors.

Full Text

The Full Text of this article is available as a PDF (55.2 KB).

Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

  1. Adams P. C., Valberg L. S. Screening blood donors for hereditary hemochromatosis: decision analysis model comparing genotyping to phenotyping. Am J Gastroenterol. 1999 Jun;94(6):1593–1600. doi: 10.1111/j.1572-0241.1999.1120_f.x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  2. Allen K., Williamson R. Should we genetically test everyone for haemochromatosis? J Med Ethics. 1999 Apr;25(2):209–214. doi: 10.1136/jme.25.2.209. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  3. Barash C. I. Genetic discrimination and screening for hemochromatosis: then and now. Genet Test. 2000;4(2):213–218. doi: 10.1089/10906570050114939. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  4. Barton J. C., Grindon A. J., Barton N. H., Bertoli L. F. Hemochromatosis probands as blood donors. Transfusion. 1999 Jun;39(6):578–585. doi: 10.1046/j.1537-2995.1999.39060578.x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  5. Beal R. W., van Aken W. G. Gift or good? A contemporary examination of the voluntary and commercial aspects of blood donation. Vox Sang. 1992;63(1):1–5. doi: 10.1111/j.1423-0410.1992.tb01210.x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  6. Blacklock H. A., Dewse M., Bollard C., Hudson P., Barnhill D., Jackson S. Blood donation by healthy individuals with haemochromatosis. N Z Med J. 2000 Mar 10;113(1105):77–78. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  7. Blum L. N., Allen J. R., Genel M., Howe J. P., 3rd Crossover use of donated blood for autologous transfusion: report of the Council on Scientific Affairs, American Medical Association. Transfusion. 1998 Sep;38(9):891–895. doi: 10.1046/j.1537-2995.1998.38998409012.x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  8. Eastlund T. Monetary blood donation incentives and the risk of transfusion-transmitted infection. Transfusion. 1998 Sep;38(9):874–882. doi: 10.1046/j.1537-2995.1998.38998409009.x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  9. Jeffrey G., Adams P. C. Blood from patients with hereditary hemochromatosis--a wasted resource. Transfusion. 1999 Jun;39(6):549–550. doi: 10.1046/j.1537-2995.1999.39060549.x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  10. Keown J. The gift of blood in Europe: an ethical defence of EC directive 89/381. J Med Ethics. 1997 Apr;23(2):96–100. doi: 10.1136/jme.23.2.96. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  11. McDonnell S. M., Grindon A. J., Preston B. L., Barton J. C., Edwards C. Q., Adams P. C. A survey of phlebotomy among persons with hemochromatosis. Transfusion. 1999 Jun;39(6):651–656. doi: 10.1046/j.1537-2995.1999.39060651.x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  12. McFarland J. G., Aster R. H., Buggy B. P. Paid time off for blood donation--an incentive to be less than truthful? Transfusion. 1997 Apr;37(4):447–448. doi: 10.1046/j.1537-2995.1997.37497265350.x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  13. Meyers D. G., Strickland D., Maloley P. A., Seburg J. K., Wilson J. E., McManus B. F. Possible association of a reduction in cardiovascular events with blood donation. Heart. 1997 Aug;78(2):188–193. doi: 10.1136/hrt.78.2.188. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  14. Penning H. L. Blood donation by patients with hemochromatosis. JAMA. 1993 Dec 22;270(24):2929–2929. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  15. Sacher R. A. Hemochromatosis and blood donors: a perspective. Transfusion. 1999 Jun;39(6):551–554. doi: 10.1046/j.1537-2995.1999.39060551.x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  16. Salonen J. T., Tuomainen T. P., Salonen R., Lakka T. A., Nyyssönen K. Donation of blood is associated with reduced risk of myocardial infarction. The Kuopio Ischaemic Heart Disease Risk Factor Study. Am J Epidemiol. 1998 Sep 1;148(5):445–451. doi: 10.1093/oxfordjournals.aje.a009669. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  17. Tan L., Khan M. K., Hawk J. C., 3rd Use of blood therapeutically drawn from hemochromatosis patients. Council on Scientific Affairs, American Medical Association. Transfusion. 1999 Sep;39(9):1018–1026. doi: 10.1046/j.1537-2995.1999.39091018.x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  18. Thomas M. J., Desmond M., Gillon J. Preoperative autologous donation: what was the impact of the 1995 consensus statement? Transfus Med. 1999 Sep;9(3):241–257. doi: 10.1046/j.1365-3148.1999.00204.x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

Articles from Journal of Medical Ethics are provided here courtesy of BMJ Publishing Group

RESOURCES