Informed consent in autologous and homologous transfusion medicine was investigated by questionnaires sent to 77 blood transfusion departments of the university hospitals. On homologous transfusion, although 80% of physicians talked with patients about the risks of transfusion, 70% did not ask patients to sign a consent form before receiving blood. Further, most physicians spent no more than 10 minutes explaining to patients the risks and benefits of allogenic blood. With regard to autologous transfusion, more than 80% of physicians mentioned the risks and the benefits of this procedure, and also the procedures for preoperative donation. However, only 41% of physicians required written consent.In conclusion, the physician has the moral duty to inform the patient of the risks and benefits of blood transfusion. Institutions should consider written informed consent separate from surgical consent. This would result in increasing the patient's knowledge and autonomy in transfusion medicine. Further, the ethical and educational elements of informed consent for blood transfusion should be a part the curriculum of residential training or undergraduate study.