In a recent commentary in Science, Neelam Dhingra, on behalf of the World Health Organization (WHO), defended their voluntary non-rumunerated blood donation (VNRBD) policy. Current WHO VNRBC policy allows for small rewards, such as a free cholesterol screening. Lacetera and colleagues previously challenged VNRBDs suggesting that increased economic rewards such as a lottery ticket or other items below minimum wage can motivate more individuals to donate blood. However, Dhingra argues that increased incentives to donate blood could exploit the underprivileged and compromise the blood supply. Furthermore, Dhingra emphasized decisions about public health policies such as VNRBD need to include “equality, transferability, acceptability, patient preferences, and social values” in addition to data from randomized controlled trials. In a rebuttal letter to Dhingra’s commentary, Lacetera stressed that “these debates benefit from the availability of relevant empirical evidence that includes the use of representative samples, actual donation behavior using standard collection procedures, and causally identified short- and long-term effects on both donations and safety.” The WHO stands by its policy of VNRBD and believes that future policy forums should focus on strengthening voluntary blood donations.
References
1. Dhingra N. In defense of WHO’s blood donation policy. Science;342: 691-2.
2. Lacetera N, Macis M, Slonim R. In defense of WHO’s blood donation policy–response. Science;342: 692.
