Are blood donation questions reasonable?

bbro · 05-31-2007, 07:39 AM

Clod - the blood does expire, I believe it is like 8 days for the red blood cells or something. That is why there seems to always be a shortage. The Frozen products expire as well, I just think it takes a little longer, but not much.

As for tattoos in the US - there is a year waiting period for fear of the diseases you can get from the needles. After that, you should be home free.

Also keep in mind that all blood banks are overseen by the FDA and it may be them enforcing the procedure of questionnaires. And they will quickly kick a blood bank's ass if they aren't following correct procedures.

My thinking on it is that if they sort out the high-risk people first, then they have more time to focus on the potentially healthy blood. At the end of the day, the number of units is important, but if a number of them are unusable, all the man hours and supplies that were used to collect and test them were wasted. I am not saying that they are right in their practices, just that I can see it from another point of view.
And yes, people can lie about the answers and the time is still wasted. There was also a number that people can call to say they lied if they wanted to tell, but not face to face.

(No, I don't nor have I ever worked for the Red Cross......just another blood bank. And I am also not saying that I agree with everything either)

smurfalicious · 05-31-2007, 07:55 AM

another point I just thought of...

I don't know just how accurate this course of action is, but I do know of several people who actually try to give blood solely to determine HIV status, cholesterol level, etc.

I'm sure it gets terribly expensive for blood banks to waster resources taking/testing/disposing of diseased blood.

The Eschaton · 05-31-2007, 09:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by smurfalicious

another point I just thought of...

I don't know just how accurate this course of action is, but I do know of several people who actually try to give blood solely to determine HIV status, cholesterol level, etc.

I'm sure it gets terribly expensive for blood banks to waster resources taking/testing/disposing of diseased blood.

YES!! I know someone that mentioned doing that and i think it happens a lot. Thats horribly ignorant and stupid. Go to the free clinic. You are endangering people. Thats why i think those questions are pointless. Compare that to them eliminating someone for answering truthfully to traveling to england or for ever having had gay sex even if you are practicing safe sex or monogamous. Thats got to eliminate a lot of people for no good reason. Thats why i say just make it a year waiting period for any risky behavior and be done with it.

TheMercenary · 06-03-2007, 08:03 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bbro

Clod - the blood does expire, I believe it is like 8 days for the red blood cells or something.

Depends on the type of blood. Frozen packed cells can be kept for up to ten years, most is not, but it can be. FFP (plasma) for a year. Whole blood can be kept a long time as well but many important factors degrade over a short time, which is why whole blood is spun down and various components are removed for specific use.

Everything you always wanted to know about blood product administration but were afraid to ask:
http://www.aabb.org/Documents/About_...on/coi0702.pdf

05-31-2007, 07:55 AM	#2
smurfalicious Tool. Not the band - you are one. Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: 501 Northlake Blvd., North Palm Beach FL Posts: 329	another point I just thought of... I don't know just how accurate this course of action is, but I do know of several people who actually try to give blood solely to determine HIV status, cholesterol level, etc. I'm sure it gets terribly expensive for blood banks to waster resources taking/testing/disposing of diseased blood. __________________

05-31-2007, 07:39 AM	#1
bbro Insert witty comment here Join Date: May 2004 Location: Raleigh, NC Posts: 2,182	Clod - the blood does expire, I believe it is like 8 days for the red blood cells or something. That is why there seems to always be a shortage. The Frozen products expire as well, I just think it takes a little longer, but not much. As for tattoos in the US - there is a year waiting period for fear of the diseases you can get from the needles. After that, you should be home free. Also keep in mind that all blood banks are overseen by the FDA and it may be them enforcing the procedure of questionnaires. And they will quickly kick a blood bank's ass if they aren't following correct procedures. My thinking on it is that if they sort out the high-risk people first, then they have more time to focus on the potentially healthy blood. At the end of the day, the number of units is important, but if a number of them are unusable, all the man hours and supplies that were used to collect and test them were wasted. I am not saying that they are right in their practices, just that I can see it from another point of view. And yes, people can lie about the answers and the time is still wasted. There was also a number that people can call to say they lied if they wanted to tell, but not face to face. (No, I don't nor have I ever worked for the Red Cross......just another blood bank. And I am also not saying that I agree with everything either)

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