A Gift That Some Cannot Give: The Ethical Significance of the Ban on Gay/Bisexual Men as Blood Donors

摘要

Medical innovation coupled with an aging population is positioning health care systems in a precarious situation: increasing demand, yet stagnant supply of blood. This issue's target article by Sass (2013) raises awareness of foreseeable shortages in transfused blood products and advances needed debate concerning the ethics of policies aimed at encouraging blood donations by the general public. Policies in North America have long upheld the "gift relationship"-altruistic acts for the greater good of society-as the exclusive and most ethical impetus for blood donation. Impending scarcity means that additional strategies to encourage blood donation are necessary.