Despite the arguments against the use of directed donors, most patients and families are convinced that their
relatives and friends are safer than routine donors. For the peace of mind of the patients and families, most
blood banks accept requests for directed donations. In some states they are required by law to do so.
Community Blood Bank Donors These donors are volunteers who have no reason to donate their blood other than the pleasure it gives them to help their fellow humans.
Each blood donor (and this applies to directed donors as well) must read an information sheet that details reasons why a person should not donate blood. If the donor concludes that he or she is eligible, a medical history is then obtained using a series of very detailed questions, a number of which are specific about sexual practices.
The donor is also given the opportunity to indicate confidentially that the blood he or she donates should not be transfused. This procedure takes care of situations in which the donor knows he or she is not eligible but does not wish this to become apparent to relatives, friends or co-workers. Finally, the blood donated is tested for a whole series of infectious agents—AIDS, hepatitis B, hepatitis C, HTLV and syphilis, as well as CMV in special circumstances. The result is the safest blood supply by far that this country has ever known.
The Need for More Donors Eighty-five to 90 percent of transfusions use blood from volunteer donors in the community. The rest are autologous or directed. If blood isn't available when a patient needs it, that patient could die. Yet serious blood shortages, which require rationing of the available supply, are frequent in many communities.
