Jaggedmallard26 t1_jdzubp9 wrote on March 28, 2023 at 12:18 PM

Reply to comment by Treadcc in TIL about Lillan Bloodworth, who donated blood every 56 days for nearly 50 years. By the time she stopped at age 85, she had donated 23 gallons. (The average person's body contains about 1.5 gallons.) by WouldbeWanderer

Donated Blood testing is done in bulk and paid donations attract donations from people desperate for money which tends to include drug addicts who are at significantly higher risk of diseases. By making it donation only you reduce the risk of people lying about their activities to donate. Paid plasma donation where the risk is significantly lower lead to the contaminated blood scandal and a lot of dead haemophilliacs.

Treadcc t1_je08vo3 wrote on March 28, 2023 at 2:12 PM

Interesting. I think better screening would solve that issue. Just screen people and set them up for repetitive donations. Have a meeting a couple of weeks before they can donate, test their blood, and then clear them if they are good. Then this can still be a thing that helps people especially poverty stricken ones (without ailments).