The politics of donating blood

[Benny78]

Why isn't it bought or sold to hospitals? Is it because it comes from the working class? And the working class merely exist to be sucked dry and profiteered off by all others? Tax bailouts for big companies and banks and now blood?

If there's a shortage it's because they're expecting people to donate while they make money. If you offered people say $80 people would be lining up. I totally agree with the concept that blood should be donated, but the health sector isn't exactly non-profit and there are those making a killing in it. We live in a s**t country and where people pay 20k for a procedure or medical emergency, the blood used in the procedure is free. Surely they can afford to pay you $80 for your own blood? Solving the whole "blood shortage crisis" in the process.

 

[Sweet Jesus]

If they paid, wouldn't that be open to exploitation? Should they pay for organs too?

Just hook a homeless dude up to an IV and pay them by the hour.

 

[tandino]

If you received payment for donating blood, then you'd probably attract all manner of people who otherwise wouldn't and shouldn't be donating blood. (IV drug users, Mad Cow Disease-carrying Brits, promiscuous homosexuals, bogans who get dodgy tattoos in south-east Asia, and the like)

 

[Snake_Baker]

If you received payment for donating blood, then you'd probably attract all manner of people who otherwise wouldn't and shouldn't be donating blood. (IV drug users, Mad Cow Disease-carrying Brits, promiscuous homosexuals, bogans who get dodgy tattoos in south-east Asia, and the like)

Yes, because everyone knows that these folks are the very worst money grabbing capitalists in society.

 

[M Malice]

Do you get paid for a sperm donation? What do you go for quality or quantity?

 

[Chief]

Why isn't it bought or sold to hospitals? Is it because it comes from the working class? And the working class merely exist to be sucked dry and profiteered off by all others? Tax bailouts for big companies and banks and now blood?

If there's a shortage it's because they're expecting people to donate while they make money. If you offered people say $80 people would be lining up. I totally agree with the concept that blood should be donated, but the health sector isn't exactly non-profit and there are those making a killing in it. We live in a s**t country and where people pay 20k for a procedure or medical emergency, the blood used in the procedure is free. Surely they can afford to pay you $80 for your own blood? Solving the whole "blood shortage crisis" in the process.

They get taxed on their profits so I suppose some of it goes back into the community.

 

[Mofra]

Do you get paid for a sperm donation? What do you go for quality or quantity?

It's a state by state issue in Australia. In Victoria you are compensated for loss but not paid.
In NZ you don't get paid at all but if you are donating to one particular person, by private agreement that person can agree to cover your costs (flights, accommodation, etc). You might get a free holiday out of it because you have to wait 48 hours between donations

 

[Mofra]

If you received payment for donating blood, then you'd probably attract all manner of people who otherwise wouldn't and shouldn't be donating blood. (IV drug users, Mad Cow Disease-carrying Brits, promiscuous homosexuals, bogans who get dodgy tattoos in south-east Asia, and the like)

There is criteria over who can and can't donate blood - I think your list is covered by all of them.

 

[tandino]

Yes, because everyone knows that these folks are the very worst money grabbing capitalists in society.

Well, should they be such money grabbing capitalists, or even just on the bones of their arse, it may lead them to be dishonest about risk factors relevant to their situation.

There is criteria over who can and can't donate blood - I think your list is covered by all of them.

Absolutely, but there's no need for people's honesty to be tested for financial gain.

 

[00Stinger]

Your work is legal obliged to give you two hours off if you donate blood.

Surely that is payment enough?

 

[Bradesmaen]

I just take the free mars bars and cokes from the fridge instead. I used to donate a few times a year at the Red Cross blood bank on Grenfell St in Adelaide, can't now though, but will when I get back as long as I'm allowed to.

 

[TimmeT]

I just take the free mars bars and cokes from the fridge instead. I used to donate a few times a year at the Red Cross blood bank on Grenfell St in Adelaide, can't now though, but will when I get back as long as I'm allowed to.

Why don't you donate in London or are you not allowed?

 

[Bradesmaen]

Why don't you donate in London or are you not allowed?

I've been sick too often lately, hard to give blood. Or travelling (Just got back from 4 weeks away)

 

[TimmeT]

I've been sick too often lately, hard to give blood. Or travelling (Just got back from 4 weeks away)

Unfortunate I hope that stops. What does that mean you haven't got time or was where you went an exclusion country due to possibly having disease like malaria etc?

 

[Bradesmaen]

Unfortunate I hope that stops. What does that mean you haven't got time or was where you went an exclusion country due to possibly having disease like malaria etc?

Well Russia is an excluded country if you test positive for West Nile virus, unlikely but I did get bitten a few times... The rest are ok, but its more the fact that I don't have time or have to wait a few weeks. Like right now I'm back to being a bit ill again from too much drinking at the Cup.

 

[RupieDupie]

Why isn't it bought or sold to hospitals? Is it because it comes from the working class? And the working class merely exist to be sucked dry and profiteered off by all others? Tax bailouts for big companies and banks and now blood?

If there's a shortage it's because they're expecting people to donate while they make money. If you offered people say $80 people would be lining up. I totally agree with the concept that blood should be donated, but the health sector isn't exactly non-profit and there are those making a killing in it. We live in a s**t country and where people pay 20k for a procedure or medical emergency, the blood used in the procedure is free. Surely they can afford to pay you $80 for your own blood? Solving the whole "blood shortage crisis" in the process.

The cost of all goods and services, including medical procedures, will magically increase by $80

 

[Ricardo]

It's a state by state issue in Australia. In Victoria you are compensated for loss but not paid.
In NZ you don't get paid at all but if you are donating to one particular person, by private agreement that person can agree to cover your costs (flights, accommodation, etc). You might get a free holiday out of it because you have to wait 48 hours between donations

Few months after donating sperm in Melbourne I got quite the surprise when an $1,100 cheque arrived in the mail, had to ring them up to confirm it was legit.

 

[RupieDupie]

Few months after donating sperm in Melbourne I got quite the surprise when an $1,100 cheque arrived in the mail, had to ring them up to confirm it was legit.

So there’s this woman see? And one day she’s giving blood and when she finishes she gets a banana and an orange juice. When she’s eating this she looks over and there’s this guy and he’s eating a steak with all the trimmings and has a glass of red wine.

So not wanting to draw attention to herself* the lady is all like, “Nurse! Frucking get over here! How come that guy gets a steak with all the trimmings and a red wine, and I only get a banana and an orange juice!?!”

The nurse calms her down and takes her aside and in a low voice whispers, “That guy over there donated sperm”

So the lady files this factoid in her head and then leaves the donation centre.


One week lady the same woman returns, and she walks into the donation centre with her head looking upwards to the ceiling, and walks up to the counter and in a gargling voice says, “I’d like to donate shum shperm”

Budda Ching!


*I stole this part from Rodney Rude, “not wanting to draw attention to myself I yell ‘Usher! Frucking get over here’ so I shine the light at the back of ‘is ‘ead and I’m like, he’s got nits! ‘You’ve got nits you dirty little prick!’. So I race out of there, I didn’t want those nits jumping all over my follicles ‘niut niut niut’ big frucking nits. So out in the car park there’s this guy hailing a cab, and the cab stops and he’s all like, ‘hey! You got room for a slab of beer and a pizza?’ and the cab driver’s all like, ‘yeah mate’ so ‘bbblluuuuuuuuurk!’ He vomits in the backseat, ‘niah niah fruck ya!’”

 

[RupieDupie]

So there’s this woman see? And one day she’s giving blood and when she finishes she gets a banana and an orange juice. When she’s eating this she looks over and there’s this guy and he’s eating a steak with all the trimmings and has a glass of red wine.

So not wanting to draw attention to herself* the lady is all like, “Nurse! Frucking get over here! How come that guy gets a steak with all the trimmings and a red wine, and I only get a banana and an orange juice!?!”

The nurse calms her down and takes her aside and in a low voice whispers, “That guy over there donated sperm”

So the lady files this factoid in her head and then leaves the donation centre.


One week lady the same woman returns, and she walks into the donation centre with her head looking upwards to the ceiling, and walks up to the counter and in a gargling voice says, “I’d like to donate shum shperm”

Budda Ching!


*I stole this part from Rodney Rude, “not wanting to draw attention to myself I yell ‘Usher! Frucking get over here’ so I shine the light at the back of ‘is ‘ead and I’m like, he’s got nits! ‘You’ve got nits you dirty little prick!’. So I race out of there, I didn’t want those nits jumping all over my follicles ‘niut niut niut’ big frucking nits. So out in the car park there’s this guy hailing a cab, and the cab stops and he’s all like, ‘hey! You got room for a slab of beer and a pizza?’ and the cab driver’s all like, ‘yeah mate’ so ‘bbblluuuuuuuuurk!’ He vomits in the backseat, ‘niah niah fruck ya!’”

When I think back on the things that shaped me, this is where I went wrong. This kid I knew brought over an old cassette player and Rodney Rude tapes while we were studying for our Year 12 exams. Everything I know is punctuated with vulgarity. Jim Carey made a film exploring this once. I forget what it was called.

Edited to add: This is the mofo’ing s**t I’m talking about

 

[Power Raid]

Few months after donating sperm in Melbourne I got quite the surprise when an $1,100 cheque arrived in the mail, had to ring them up to confirm it was legit.

$0.50 a litre?