Personal blood banking, or storing your own blood preemptively before a procedure, should be required under federal law to be accommodated by every single hospital. Patients need to be made aware prior to a procedure that this is an option, and if elected, hospitals cannot deny or institute additional hurdles for personal blood banking. And because it is required federally, insurance companies will have to cover it/treat it like any other blood transfusion.
Whether for religious or other reasons, people may opt for personal blood banking prior to a medical procedure rather than rely on blood donations. This gives the patient peace of mind that they will have their blood type on hand for their procedure and not rely on donations (or lack thereof, which we are currently seeing around the country.) Ultimately this would:
- Lower the risk of exposure to blood borne infections like HIV, Hep B & C, etc.
- Lower the risk of Graft-verses-Host Disease (GVHD.)
- Lower the risk of allergic reactions.
- Lower dependency on supply from blood banks.
- Lowers the risk of being given the wrong blood type.
- Provide the patient with further peace of mind.
- Likely decrease mortality rate related to blood transfusions which can range from 24% - 50% within a year of transfusion, depending on the study.