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. 2023 Apr 1;151(4):e2022058183.
doi: 10.1542/peds.2022-058183.

Requests for Directed Blood Donations

Meaghann S Weaver  1   2 , Marianne E M Yee  3   4   5 , Courtney E Lawrence  6   7 , Armand H Matheny Antommaria  8   9 , Ross M Fasano  3   4   5
Affiliations

Requests for Directed Blood Donations

Meaghann S Weaver et al. Pediatrics. .

Abstract

This Ethics Rounds presents a request for directed blood donation. Two parents feel helpless in the setting of their daughter's new leukemia diagnosis and want to directly help their child by providing their own blood for a transfusion. They express hesitancy about trusting the safety of a stranger's blood. Commentators assess this case in the setting of blood as a scarce community resource during a national blood shortage. Commentators review the child's best interest, future risks, and harm-benefit considerations. Commentators recognize the professional integrity, humility, and courage of the physician to admit his own lack of knowledge on the subject and to seek help rather than claim directed donation is not possible without further investigation into options. Shared ideals such as altruism, trust, equity, volunteerism, and solidarity are recognized as values relevant to sustainment of a community blood supply. Pediatric hematologists, a blood bank director, transfusion medicine specialists, and an ethicist conclude that directed donation is only justified by lower risks to the recipient in particular circumstances.

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Conflict of interest statement

Conflicts of Interest: The authors have no conflicts of interest relevant to this article to disclose.

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