Poll: Donating Blood

[Drakane]

it amazes me that there is still so much emphasis on blood. do people realize the advances made in the field of bloodless surgery? and do people realize that bloodless surgery and non-blood expanders like Ringer's solution are about 20 times SAFER than traditional blood transfusions?

in my opinion, a lot of this ignorance is being promoted by the for-profit blood banks. if people knew the alternatives, there would only be about 10% as much demand for blood.

You make an assumption that most of this blood is for surgeries and the like. I personally don't know any facts but I believe that a lot of the blood is used for crash victims and the such. The main reason I believe this is based on the fact that, in winter months the need for blood or at least advertisements swaying you to donate is increased. Which is also the time of year that accidents are more likely to happen.

I have no idea the facts and stats. its just merely an observation, and though the increase in technology would help reduce the need for blood, I believe the 10% is a little over exaggerated.

 

[GeorgW]

I've got 0-, I pretty much have to donate. I actually like it, needles are fun!

 

[Henrik Moeller]

Interesting aspect of this thread.
Look at the percentage of people who find themselves more interesting than the topic.

 

[laol1999]

you arnt killing three people by not donating blood
your just saving three people if you do donate

 

[shadyh8er]

I'm deathly afraid of needles. I didn't even donate blood to save my great-grandmother's life. Needless to say my dad hated me for a while after that.

As for that slogan the football team came up with, I do believe that's called a Fallacy of False Cause.

 

[natster43]

I donate blood. but I never thought of it as killing people if I did not.

 

[Merkavar]

i tried to donate blood once but they needed a letter from my doctor cause i had heart surgey, basically ididnt end up donating any.

But i think everyone should donate blood and organs when they die. bit selfish to keep your organs once your dead.

 

[SuccessAndBiscuts]

I used to donate regularly but that has slipped in the last couple of years while I have been away from home studying. Partially do to a fear of needles.

I'm ok when I go along with the rest of my family, its almost a tradition. But the idea of going into the centre by myself freaks me out. Even if I could persuade a couple friends to come along too but they mostly don't care enough and I don't push the ones that might enough cause I don't really want to myself.

Having said that it IS important, my dad has had to receive twice so far and while I haven't had to yet there have been a few close calls.

I'm happy I've given a few times but know I really ought to donate more often, but... needles man (shakes)

 

[game-lover]

I'd definitely give it a try. Just to say I did anyway.

At my high school, you couldn't donate blood until you were 17 years old. For me, that was my senior year. But I was unable to 'cause I guess I was so nervous that my pulse went nuts. They told me it was too high and couldn't do it.

Definitely plan on giving it another go some day.

 

[Durotai]

Im 17 and have donated blood 3 times, in Australia the legal age is 16 (with parent's consent)
our school has a blood drive every 3 months. i got hooked in because donating blood is always appreciated ( also cause i'm a B- which is 2% of te world =\) and i got milkshakes after.

TLDR; Donating blood is cool, and i got milkshakes after. come on. milkshakes.

 

[Jamboxdotcom]

it amazes me that there is still so much emphasis on blood. do people realize the advances made in the field of bloodless surgery? and do people realize that bloodless surgery and non-blood expanders like Ringer's solution are about 20 times SAFER than traditional blood transfusions?

in my opinion, a lot of this ignorance is being promoted by the for-profit blood banks. if people knew the alternatives, there would only be about 10% as much demand for blood.

You make an assumption that most of this blood is for surgeries and the like. I personally don't know any facts but I believe that a lot of the blood is used for crash victims and the such. The main reason I believe this is based on the fact that, in winter months the need for blood or at least advertisements swaying you to donate is increased. Which is also the time of year that accidents are more likely to happen.

I have no idea the facts and stats. its just merely an observation, and though the increase in technology would help reduce the need for blood, I believe the 10% is a little over exaggerated.

actually, even for replacing volume lost in trauma situations, non-blood expanders like Ringer's (which is actually one of the older ones, there are probably newer, better options) are all that's needed *most* of the time. 10% may be an exaggeration, but not by much. there's even an effort underway right now to train U.S. Army surgeons in non-blood options, as it is estimated to save the military not only a ton of money, but also many lives. basically, blood is just another over-prescribed drug. most (note "most"; i acknowledge that it's not "all") of the time there are better, safer, cheaper alternatives.

 

[Sneeze]

I can;t donate blood, they don't allow the gays to donate. >.>

That and I have somewhat of a phobia of needles.

And implying you're killing people by not giving blood is, well, a tad stupid. Why not guilt you into giving a kidney or a testicle while they're at it, you have 2 of them.

 

[Peteron]

I will never give my blood to someone else. I really could care less and honestly I hate needles. I am not killing them, I am just not donating.

 

[Merkavar]

I will never give my blood to someone else. I really could care less and honestly I hate needles. I am not killing them, I am just not donating.

hope you have a car accident and lose half your blood.

 

[CaptainKoala]

Then that means that if I don't stop a person from Africa from starving this second, I effectively murdered them. No way.

 

[aww yea]

wait what? killing three people? there's something wrong with that statement but i cant pinpoint what.

also i HATE needles and i HATE HATE HATE blood. especially stored blood. goddamn. i think i might if it weren't for that and someone asked me. i don't know, i guess i don't trust the people taking my blood? that's just me though. i think its a good thing, my girlfriend does it every *time limit between blood stealing* and I'm in full support.

I'll give my organs when i die? as a point of redemption.

 

[Tasachan]

I've never donated blood, though I've been meaning to for a while. My son needed blood a few times just after he was born, and I would like to do the same for someone else. (I'm O-, so anyone can have my blood)

But not donating isn't the same as killing, it would be more like negligence I think. They are dying because of your (and everyone else's) inaction, not because of your action.
... kinda. Even that doesn't sound right.

 

[voetballeeuw]

Hmm, good timing with this thread. I'm donating blood tomorrow. First time.

 

[hightide]

Honestly, if not donating really killed 3 people there would be less rules about it (have to be 18, no UKer, wtf mad cow is overrated, gay and whatnot)


On the plus side, donating blood is like -600 calories, so donate away and then pig out for the Holidays!

 

[zfactor]

Well it's that time of the year again... The time of the year our school has its annual blood drive, with its peer pressure slogan of- "When you donate, your blood can be used to save up to 3 lives; so if you don't donate, you're killing 3 people!" (and yes the football team DID come up with that slogan)

So how do you feel about donating blood? and would you yourself?

(if this is a double post I am horribly sorry, I had a weird glitch because I was holding "Shift" when I pressed "Enter" [too much skype you know])

I hate rediculous logic... Correction incoming...

If A implies B (Donating blood implies you save three lives)

-A does not necessarily imply -B (Not donating does not imply you kill three people)

Sure, it means those three people may die (but they can get the blood from somewhere else, that's what blood banks are for) but it is not your fault for not donating blood. If I do not help someone up from the edge of a cliff and they fall and die; I did not kill them, I simply did not save them. I would be killing them if I pushed them off the cliff.

Not helping is not the same as actively hurting. And I do not donate because I dislike needles and prefer to keep my fluids inside me, thanks. But if something bad happened where I needed blood (car crash or something...) I would probably donate afterwards to clear my conscience...