Giving Blood

Numerous studies have shown that voluntary, non-compensated blood donation represents the safest, most effective way of maintaining adequate blood supplies. Because voluntary donors are motivated by altruistic impulses, they are less likely to withhold vital health information that might indicate their blood is contaminated. Paid donors, by contrast, often have an incentive to conceal health issues, raising the likelihood of passing on infection or disease through transfusion. Research has shown that individuals attracted by the prospect of payment for blood donation are more likely to come from at-risk groups – such as intravenous drug users – thereby increasing the probability that the donated blood is unsafe.

Some scholars have argued that financial incentives can also prove counterproductive to attracting donors generally. In“The Gift Relationship” (1970), a landmark study of blood donation within the framework of gift economies, British researcher Richard Titmuss (1907-1973) argues that introducing market forces to blood donation networks can lead to declines in rates of voluntary giving. For many potential donors, the prospect of a monetary payment can suppress the altruistic spirit associated with giving blood voluntarily. When financial remuneration becomes a factor, volunteer donors can become “crowded out” of the process, leading to a decline in donations. Although Titmuss’s thesis continues to spark debate, data suggests that voluntary blood donation networks are more effective in attracting donors than those involving some form of compensation.

Titmuss and other researchers have found that volunteer donors are primarily motivated by a sense of civic duty. Giving blood is an act of solidarity, one that strengthens the essential bonds between members of a society. As Ian McLean and Jo Poulton write in their 1986 analysis of Titmuss’s work: “The highest form of giving is anonymous giving to an unknown stranger.”

Giving blood can also cultivate a broader commitment to philanthropic activity. Regular blood donors often extend their charitable impulses into other areas, such as volunteer work. At the same time, blood recipients often wish to express their gratitude by becoming donors themselves.

In high-income nations, well-established voluntary donation networks help ensure the continual replenishment of a healthy blood supply. By contrast, many low- and medium-income countries, which typically lack comparable donation infrastructures, struggle to maintain necessary quotas. According to a 2010 World Health Organization (WHO) report, average blood donation rates in high-income countries are 15 times higher than in low-income countries.

Exemplifying Aristotle’s belief that virtuous deeds cultivate virtuous habits, giving blood represents a form of generosity that is both selfless and self-perpetuating – an act of giving that strengthens societies by forging invisible bonds between strangers.

Contributor: Stephen Meyer