In the US, we used to have an incentive system called blood banking: for every blood donor, an account was maintained that kept track of the number of units that person had donated. If you later needed blood for surgery, or a relative needed blood, you could “spend” units from your personal account to satisfy that need, rather than the patient being charged for that blood. If a public appeal went out for donation of blood to, say, a wounded police officer, you could donate by signing over units from your blood account.
The blood banking system kept the nation in adequate blood supply for years, without the ethical fishiness of cash payments. But eventually the greedheads in hospital billing departments stopped supporting blood banking, in favor of charging every patient for blood units used, regardless of how many units that person may have donated. What this means is that hospitals are perennially short of blood, and “donation centers” as they are now called, have to continually wheedle for the public participation they once counted on.
Fascinating piece of history, thank you for that. It certainly appears to be a sensible policy in a “user pays” system: too bad that the whole thing became subverted by greed.
Mike Downing
7 months ago
Typical of the EU’s technocratic overreach; what else can they get their mits on? It’s never, ever enough and should hopefully prove to be their Achilles’ heel in the end.
Nevertheless, paying for products is fraught with risks as in the blood product scandal which is only now being faced up to. That was meant to be an ‘easy market solution’ to a new supply shortage. Look how that turned out.
The bureaucrats have to justify sitting around in councils whilst drawing humongous salaries.
William Shaw
7 months ago
Donating sperm is an idiotic thing to do. It should be banned. Just wait till the donor has half a dozen teenagers banging on his door seeking an emotional connection and financial support. It’s also used by women who want to add to the plague of single parents and emotionally damaged children. It’s amazing that a woman who hasn’t been able to form a single long term stable intimate relationship with another human being during their 35 or 40 years of life on Earth thinks they can raise an emotionally healthy, well adjusted child.
Last edited 7 months ago by William Shaw
John Greatorex
7 months ago
Third-party anonymous donation of gametes is just morally wrong, whether or not there is a financial incentive for the donor. Genetics are important and the psychological toll on the children conceived in this manner should not be underestimated. The proliferation of this industry is yet another tool wielded in order to deconstruct family and our society.
Gentlemen, you can’t fight in here. This is the war room.
D Walsh
7 months ago
I’ve been giving it away for free for decades
Mike Downing
7 months ago
Oooooh. I’ve been cancelled.
Bernard Brothman
7 months ago
When I donate blood here in the USA I am rewarded with some cookies and juice after the donation. Neither I, as the donor, or the recipient get to know one another. This is all fine by me and I am happy to donate.
Gametes can produce a child who has or should have the right to know where it came from, any undesirable traits the biological father’s family might have as well as long term health conditions or health conditions that can run in families. It should never be about the “rights of the parents” ( can be gay or lesbians couples as, well as straight women) as there is no human right which is a right to parenthood.
In the US, we used to have an incentive system called blood banking: for every blood donor, an account was maintained that kept track of the number of units that person had donated. If you later needed blood for surgery, or a relative needed blood, you could “spend” units from your personal account to satisfy that need, rather than the patient being charged for that blood. If a public appeal went out for donation of blood to, say, a wounded police officer, you could donate by signing over units from your blood account.
The blood banking system kept the nation in adequate blood supply for years, without the ethical fishiness of cash payments. But eventually the greedheads in hospital billing departments stopped supporting blood banking, in favor of charging every patient for blood units used, regardless of how many units that person may have donated. What this means is that hospitals are perennially short of blood, and “donation centers” as they are now called, have to continually wheedle for the public participation they once counted on.
Very interesting. Thanks!
Fascinating piece of history, thank you for that. It certainly appears to be a sensible policy in a “user pays” system: too bad that the whole thing became subverted by greed.
Typical of the EU’s technocratic overreach; what else can they get their mits on? It’s never, ever enough and should hopefully prove to be their Achilles’ heel in the end.
Nevertheless, paying for products is fraught with risks as in the blood product scandal which is only now being faced up to. That was meant to be an ‘easy market solution’ to a new supply shortage. Look how that turned out.
The bureaucrats have to justify sitting around in councils whilst drawing humongous salaries.
Donating sperm is an idiotic thing to do. It should be banned. Just wait till the donor has half a dozen teenagers banging on his door seeking an emotional connection and financial support. It’s also used by women who want to add to the plague of single parents and emotionally damaged children. It’s amazing that a woman who hasn’t been able to form a single long term stable intimate relationship with another human being during their 35 or 40 years of life on Earth thinks they can raise an emotionally healthy, well adjusted child.
Third-party anonymous donation of gametes is just morally wrong, whether or not there is a financial incentive for the donor. Genetics are important and the psychological toll on the children conceived in this manner should not be underestimated. The proliferation of this industry is yet another tool wielded in order to deconstruct family and our society.
I’m upset too, Dimitri.
I’m capable of being just as upset as you…
“Has he got a chance? Hell yeaah !!!”
Gentlemen, you can’t fight in here. This is the war room.
I’ve been giving it away for free for decades
Oooooh. I’ve been cancelled.
When I donate blood here in the USA I am rewarded with some cookies and juice after the donation. Neither I, as the donor, or the recipient get to know one another. This is all fine by me and I am happy to donate.
There’s a big difference between blood and gametes though.
Gametes can produce a child who has or should have the right to know where it came from, any undesirable traits the biological father’s family might have as well as long term health conditions or health conditions that can run in families. It should never be about the “rights of the parents” ( can be gay or lesbians couples as, well as straight women) as there is no human right which is a right to parenthood.