Give Blood

[punkass]

Geez, I can't believe this is turning into a monetary discussion. Unlike donating money, everyone has the ability (barring fear of needles or other medical reasons) to donate blood. It does not take a long time. You get free snacks and drinks. I agree there is often a hot nurse. And yes, you can feel good about helping out others in a time of need.

Please, let's not make everyone in the world about money.

[XXXNoahXXX]

Plus, one time, in college, the hot nurse was leaning over me and when she jabbed the needle in, my arm reflexed up and I cupped her boob.

I then later went out to the bar and still had the band-aid on . A girl approached me and asked if I had given blood, which sparked conversation, and at the end of the night we had sex.


So to conclude my argument, I gave up 25 minutes of my time and:

1. Cupped hot nurse's breast.

2. Had some delicious cookies and juice.

3. Saved money at bar since I drank less that night.

4. Conversation starter that led to sex.

5. Found out my blood type and got a card that I keep in my wallet to inform someone in case of emergency.



I think the choice here is clear.

[TheDudeAbides]

I'd also like to encourage everyone to sign up for the bone marrow registry. Of course, this is a much, much bigger decision than giving some blood - because if you are a match for a recipient, you will be asked to undergo a pretty serious operation. But you have the potential to actually save someone's life in the most literal sense. And no - there will be no compensation other than knowing that you alone helped someone live. If that's not motivation enough, I don't know what is.

[almostbusto]

[ QUOTE ]
I'd also like to encourage everyone to sign up for the bone marrow registry. Of course, this is a much, much bigger decision than giving some blood - because if you are a match for a recipient, you will be asked to undergo a pretty serious operation. But you have the potential to actually save someone's life in the most literal sense. And no - there will be no compensation other than knowing that you alone helped someone live. If that's not motivation enough, I don't know what is.

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it obviously isn't motivation enough. it can be empirically confirmed that there is a shortage of bone marrow as well as other tissues, organs, etc.

real humanitarians would be campaigning for a free market, or at least a regulated market for blood/organs/tissues which would greatly increase their supply.

[Bostaevski]

Who would pay for the organ? Poor people would get the shaft.

[jfk]

[ QUOTE ]
I fully support giving blood and do at least once a year, but this has me feeling not so good about it.

The Blood Brokers-How the Gift of Life Became a Billion Dollar Business

Interesting read, although it doesn't dissuade me from giving, because in the end, lives are still being saved by people donating blood.

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That was an interesting read and may explain the relentless telemarketing I get from my local blood bank.

I'm an irregular donator who gives maybe once a year. For the past six months or so, the blood bank has aggressively campaigned to get me in more often. They normally call twice a day. Some days they call as often as four times. (I know this due to caller ID.) I've asked them to stop, a request which they blow off.

While I don't normally answer when they call, the call volume has become quite a nuisance. Without exaggeration, I imagine they've called my house roughly 400 times in the previous six months. The few times I've answered (to beg them to stop calling) the caller makes every attempt to schedule me. I imagine the callers are getting spiffed or compensated somehow for appointments made.

In short, donating blood is a good thing, but dealing with the blood bank has become a burden.

[Rooger]

Wow, couldn't even imagine getting paid for donating blood, but I guess it's because our healthcare system is paid for in the extreme taxes, so free for all. The blood banks are non-profit, lead by the state hospitals.

There'd definately be more donors if it was paid for. But for those arguing for a free market: Getting paid for donating, would also lead to paying for a transfusion. With the social security system in the US, wouldn't it lead to some critically traumatized people not getting transfusion, because they don't have health insurance?'

Funny that so many here seems to be afraid of needles. Beside my study, I work with taking blood samples (not for blood banks, but blood analyses of hospitalized people). It's especially men between 20-40 that are afraid of the needle - come on, look at it:

[Grasshopp3r]

I am pleased that there are more than a few responses.

Part of the reason that the free market can not apply to body parts or fluids is that then there would be incentives for all sorts of problematic scenarios, such as:

1. You lie about your risk factors and the costs of testing the blood increases. I was going to list others, but I can't think of any, but this is a big factor.

Anyway, I do it for altruistic reasons alone. That is good enough for me.

Ultimately, synthetic blood will eliminate the industry in the next decade.

[Bostaevski]

From the american red cross:
Why doesn't the Red Cross pay its blood donors to increase the blood supply?
Scientific data shows that people who donate blood for altruistic reasons are the safest blood donors. As an extra layer of safety to the blood supply, Red Cross accepts only volunteer blood donors.

[almostbusto]

[ QUOTE ]
From the american red cross:
Why doesn't the Red Cross pay its blood donors to increase the blood supply?
Scientific data shows that people who donate blood for altruistic reasons are the safest blood donors. As an extra layer of safety to the blood supply, Red Cross accepts only volunteer blood donors.

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LOL

a free market would be safer, save more lives, and be more beneficial to the poor. i don't want to hijack this post. but if you are interested in the subject look up REAL literature (peer reviewed scholarly sources) on the matter.