Letter to the Editor - Response to ‘How expanding voluntary non-remunerated blood donations would benefit patients, donors and healthcare systems?’- F. Rossi, R. Perry, J. de Wit,T. Evers & G. Folléa, Vox Sanguinis DOI: 10.1111/j.1423-0410.2011.01495.x

Ethics and blood donation: A marriage of convenience

Quality, 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.

[Ethical issues in transfusion medicine]

Ethics is on the cross road of off values that are present along the ways of transfusion medicine. This is an important tool to afford opinions as well as debates that always emerge when discussing transfusion medicine. The wording is particularly important; this was one among several others that characterized the soul of Jean-Jacques Lefrère when he opened the doors of the ethical issues of transfusion medicine.