Our Stand: At-A-Glance
Our Stand: Every patient deserves the right to make informed decisions about their medical care, including the source of the blood products they receive.
The Problem: Currently, Louisiana law does not guarantee a patient the right to directed donor or autologous blood donation.
The Solution: The Directed Donor Blood Protection Act, which was recently passed in Idaho, protects a patient’s ability to receive blood from a directed donor or, when appropriate, to use their own donated blood (autologous) for a scheduled medical procedure. It also provides common-sense exceptions for emergency procedures and situations in which there is insufficient time to arrange a donation.
-
This legislation does not alter federal blood safety standards or require physicians to use blood that would be unsafe or medically inappropriate. Instead, it ensures that patients retain a meaningful choice whenever directed donation can be safely accommodated.
-
Patients should have the option to receive their own blood or blood from a trusted directed donor when it can be safely provided through federally regulated blood establishments.
-
Blood transfusions are more common than many realize—approximately 1 in 70 people require one each year, 1 in 10 people will receive a transfusion during their lifetime, and approximately 1 in 50 mothers receive a transfusion associated with childbirth.
-
Respecting a patient’s informed decision regarding the source of blood products reinforces confidence in the health care system and recognizes that patients should have a meaningful voice in their own medical care.
Take Action: Please contact your state senator and state representative and ask them to support the Directed Donor Blood Protection Act during the next legislative session.