Universities, hospitals, and blood advisory committees in high-income countries are collectively advocating against the use of directed blood donations. Unlike voluntary, anonymous donations, directed donations are intended for a specific recipient. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the U.S. saw an 11.1% increase in requests for directed donations, driven by concerns about receiving blood from COVID-19–vaccinated donors. However, blood collection agencies do not record donor vaccination status, and there is no FDA-approved test to distinguish antibodies from COVID-19 vaccination from SARS-CoV-2 infection. Directed donations also pose greater safety and logistical challenges. They carry a significantly higher risk of infectious disease markers (8.6%) compared to first-time voluntary donors (1.1%) and incur increased costs due to the need for individualized labeling, tracking, and storage. The medical community must unite to oppose legislative proposals that mandate requests for directed donations, as such laws could set a precedent for discriminatory practices and falsely suggest unvaccinated blood is safer.
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