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Moving on from voluntary non‐remunerated donors: who is the best blood donor?
Author(s) -
Allain JeanPierre
Publication year - 2011
Publication title -
british journal of haematology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.907
H-Index - 186
eISSN - 1365-2141
pISSN - 0007-1048
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-2141.2011.08708.x
Subject(s) - economic shortage , donation , blood donor , blood donations , medicine , blood supply , blood transfusion , blood units , safer , turnover , blood pressure , intensive care medicine , business , surgery , economic growth , immunology , economics , linguistics , philosophy , computer security , management , government (linguistics) , computer science
Summary Blood transfusion safety in sub‐Saharan Africa (SSA) is marred by the high prevalence of infectious agents, chronic blood shortage and lack of resources. However, considerable pressure is applied by richer countries and international transfusion bodies to establish voluntary, non‐remunerated blood donors (VNRD) as the only source of blood, excluding the traditional family/replacement donors on the grounds of a higher level of safety. Such a policy increases the cost of a unit of blood by two to fivefold and exacerbates the pre‐existing blood shortage. This review provides compelling evidence that first‐time VNRD are no safer than family/replacement donors and that only repeat donation provides improved blood safety. In order to limit blood shortage and maintain affordability of the blood supply in SSA, both types of donors should be accepted and both should be encouraged to donate regularly.