3 ms·

AFAIK, high iron in the blood isn't a problem for donatee. I think low iron in donated blood can be a problem, so most blood banks will do a quick screening and

by toast0 2y ago

AFAIK, high iron in the blood isn't a problem for donatee. I think low iron in donated blood can be a problem, so most blood banks will do a quick screening and will turn donors away if your iron levels are too low. The reason donations from known hemochromatosis patients have been turned away in the past was because of ethics. Blood and other medical donations are supposed to be of free will with no benefit for the donor. If you didn't know you had hemovhromatosis and gave blood regularly, you might never find out, and that would be fine. But once you know that giving blood helps you out, it's no longer of free will with no benefit for you. Not all organizations have held this strict interpretation, and more and more blood organizations are accepting donations from people with this condition over time as generally they all would like more donations.

graypegg 2y ago
Huh, interesting to know! I can see the reasons for that rule pertaining to any medical donation generally, but in this case it does feel like a clear reason for an exception. (In my non-medical-ethics-trained mind.) If my blood was withheld from people that needed it and instead destroyed, only BECAUSE I had a disease that benefits from bloodletting and does not affect the usefulness of my blood when transfused in any way... I think I would be rightfully angry by that.
- collingreen 2y ago
  The point isn't to cause you to be angry like that; that is an unfortunate side effect. I believe the point is to stop predatory pressure to sell parts of your body because you need money or something and someone with more money or power than you wants it. We have to make laws like this to prevent some people from abusing inequality to create systems that put people in a position where they need to decide if they should sell some part of themselves. In a perfect world people should be able to make clear, informed decisions about what to do with their body. In this world we have to set some baselines to prevent exploitation and permanent harm because we know SOMEONE will do it otherwise. As an extreme example, imagine if, instead of stealing some money through gift cards, scammers got grandma to give up one of her kidneys.

by toast0 2y ago

graypegg 2y ago

Huh, interesting to know! I can see the reasons for that rule pertaining to any medical donation generally, but in this case it does feel like a clear reason for an exception. (In my non-medical-ethics-trained mind.) If my blood was withheld from people that needed it and instead destroyed, only BECAUSE I had a disease that benefits from bloodletting and does not affect the usefulness of my blood when transfused in any way... I think I would be rightfully angry by that.

collingreen 2y ago
The point isn't to cause you to be angry like that; that is an unfortunate side effect. I believe the point is to stop predatory pressure to sell parts of your body because you need money or something and someone with more money or power than you wants it. We have to make laws like this to prevent some people from abusing inequality to create systems that put people in a position where they need to decide if they should sell some part of themselves. In a perfect world people should be able to make clear, informed decisions about what to do with their body. In this world we have to set some baselines to prevent exploitation and permanent harm because we know SOMEONE will do it otherwise. As an extreme example, imagine if, instead of stealing some money through gift cards, scammers got grandma to give up one of her kidneys.