When Blood Won't Tell: Integrated Transfusions and Shifting Foundations of Race

Refusing blood transfusions from COVID‐19‐vaccinated donors: are we repeating history?

“…Blood transfusion is among the most frequently performed medical procedures in the USA, 1 yet the history of this life‐saving practice is mired in controversy, beginning with the barring of African‐Americans from donating blood. 2 , 3 , 4 Following criticism of this policy, the American Red Cross (ARC) instead began segregating and labelling blood such that the product could be easily identifiable as being from an African‐American blood donor. 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 The ARC anticipated that recipients would refuse blood transfusions from African‐American donors, as their blood was deemed infectious and the medium through which diseases such as sickle cell anaemia were transmitted, despite a consensus that this disease is genetic.…”

“…2 , 3 , 4 Following criticism of this policy, the American Red Cross (ARC) instead began segregating and labelling blood such that the product could be easily identifiable as being from an African‐American blood donor. 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 The ARC anticipated that recipients would refuse blood transfusions from African‐American donors, as their blood was deemed infectious and the medium through which diseases such as sickle cell anaemia were transmitted, despite a consensus that this disease is genetic. 5 , 6 Even after the official de‐segregation of the nation’s blood supply, several states passed legislation requiring hospitals and physicians to inform blood transfusion recipients of the blood donor’s race.…”

“…5 , 6 Even after the official de‐segregation of the nation’s blood supply, several states passed legislation requiring hospitals and physicians to inform blood transfusion recipients of the blood donor’s race. 3 , 7…”

“…To encourage blood donation during the mid‐twentieth century, a controversial advertisement by the US National Blood Program depicted blood moving from white women to white men. 3 This ensured that gender, race, and sexuality would not influence the transfusion process and assuaged recipients’ fears of receiving blood from a same‐sex donor or a donor with a different sexual orientation. 3 In the 1980s, the AIDS pandemic resulted in laws prohibiting specific populations from donating blood, 8 as many considered this to be a disease exclusive to members of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) community.…”

“… 3 This ensured that gender, race, and sexuality would not influence the transfusion process and assuaged recipients’ fears of receiving blood from a same‐sex donor or a donor with a different sexual orientation. 3 In the 1980s, the AIDS pandemic resulted in laws prohibiting specific populations from donating blood, 8 as many considered this to be a disease exclusive to members of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) community. Several of these laws have only recently begun to change, despite the blood supply in the USA being completely voluntary, anonymous, and safer than it has ever been.…”