The collection of whole blood or its components from a person. Whole blood donation takes about 10 minutes, while apheresis (in which components of a donor’s blood are collected) requires approximately 1½ hours. Blood collection is strictly regulated by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Donated blood is used for persons undergoing bone marrow transplant, organ transplant, heart surgery, burn treatment, and treatment after motor vehicle accidents or other trauma. In autologous transfusion, a person donates blood in advance for his or her own use.
The process of donating blood for the purpose of blood transfusion involves individuals giving approximately 500 milliliters of blood, which is roughly one-tenth of their total blood volume. Typically, blood donors contribute blood twice a year. The donated blood is subjected to routine testing to screen for various infectious agents, such as hepatitis B, hepatitis C, and HIV antibodies. Following classification into blood groups, the blood is stored in a blood bank, either as a whole or separated into its components.
Apheresis refers to a specialized form of blood donation where only a specific component of the blood, such as plasma, platelets, or white blood cells, is extracted from the donor.