Ethics and blood donation: A marriage of convenience

SummaryQuality, safety, risks and risk management are currently the leading words in transfusion medicine, and several approaches are necessary to correctly evaluate the fundamental basis of blood transfusion. Ethics is probably the most focused approach with which to examine the inconsistencies and conflicts of interest of the various stakeholders involved in the transfusion medicine field. In this short review, the authors will present some aspects of ethics related to blood transfusion, particularly those involving blood donation.In this issueBlood transfusion in 2016 – Towards a “Nouvelle Vague” therapy?Olivier Garraud, FranceEthics and blood donation: a marriage of convenienceJean-Daniel Tissot, Switzerland and Olivier Garraud, FrancePast, present and forecast of transfusion medicine: what has changed and what is expected to change?Amy E. Schmidt, Majed A. Refaai, Neil Blumberg, United StatesRethinking blood components and patients: patient blood management. Possible ways for development in FranceGilles Folléa, FranceRed blood cell components: meeting the quantitative and qualitative transfusion needsRichard O. Francis, and Steven L. Spitalnik, United StatesPlatelet concentrates: balancing between efficacy and safety?Miguel Lozano, Joan Cid, SpainFocus on fresh frozen plasma–facilitating optimal management of bleeding through collaboration between clinicians and transfusion specialists on component specificationsSheila MacLennan, United KingdomThe infectious risks in blood transfusion as of today – A no black and white situationOlivier Garraud, Luiz Amorim Filho, Syria Laperche, Claude Tayou-Tagny, Bruno Pozzetto, France, Brazil, CamerounImmunological complications of blood transfusionsAnneke Brand, NetherlandsThe outsider adverse event in transfusion: inflammationElizabeth A. Godbey, Eldad A. Hod, United StatesRevisiting transfusion safety and alternatives to transfusionPatrick Schoettker, Carlos E. Marcucci, Gabriele Casso, Catherine Heim, Switzerland