Posted by Kristi on November 5, 2001, at 12:10:22
In reply to Re: Donation, posted by Waterlily on November 5, 2001, at 7:46:39
He just got a speeding ticket tho... it's not like he commited a felony. I'm sure all people who get speeding tickets don't do drugs, etc. and are in the habit of lying about it.I do see your point tho... that they would lie... cuz it's the easier way out. I guess that's kind of scary. Maybe if they can stick to the monetary donations!!!!!!!!!
> >
> > My son got a speeding ticket and in court, they told him he could either pay a bunch of money in fines and court costs, or he could return in a month with proof of having donated blood and $50 to the NYC relief fund.
> > Pretty decent, eh?
> > -Gracie
>
> Pretty indecent, I think. I work in a hospital blood bank and also donate blood regularly. What you're describing is blood donation under pressure, which is BAD, BAD, BAD. It puts patients' lives at risk and here's why: Even with the sophisticated testing we have for diseases like HIV, we cannot catch diseases when the virus numbers are too low to be detected. We rely on the donors to be honest about risk factors so that they will hopefully be honest and not donate if they might be infected. Donors tend not to be honest if they have been pressured to donate (and your son certainly has). We will not even release unused directed donor units to the general patient population because they're considered to be more risky for disease transmission (because they may have been pressured to donate for a friend or family member) than donors who had no pressure. Blood safety is of prime importance, and people want zero risk associated with blood transfusion. Our blood bank gets inspected by no fewer than five agencies (Food and Drug Administration, American Association of Blood Banks, Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Joint Association for Accredidation of Hospitals, and the College of American Pathologists). You would not believe the number of safeguards that we have so that no human errors are made. As many precautions as we take, it still all boils down to the donors' honesty.
poster:Kristi
thread:13465
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/social/20011105/msgs/13522.html