Abstract
In this issue of Blood Transfusion, Carlo Petrini, Head of the Bioethics Unit of the National Institute of Health in Italy, reviews the ethical implications for blood and plasma donors involved in supplying plasma for the production of plasma-derived medicinal products1. There has been constant debate on this topic for a long time now, particularly regarding voluntary non-remunerated donations (VNRD) as opposed to paid donations. However, whereas issues regarding patients’ safety, donors’ safety and the impact on blood and plasma supply to meet patients’ needs have been extensively discussed2–4, the ethical values underpinning this debate have hardly been considered in the recent past. In this respect, the article by Carlo Petrini, much inspired by the Nuffield Council on Bioethics report on “Human bodies: donation for medicine and research”5, brings a renewed vision of these ethical values which it is important to share with the “blood community” and all other concerned stakeholders. With two other recent reviews on this topic6,7, the article by Carlo Petrini first brings insight into the ethical values involved and then provides helpful clarification of the related terminology. Finally, he offers the possibility of carrying out an ethical evaluation, using the tool described by the Nuffield Council report5.
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