Asghari Abolfazl, Pourfathollah Aliakbar, Abbasi Mahmoud, Mohammadi Tooran, Akrami Forouzan
Researcher, Blood Transfusion Research Center, High Institute for Research and Education in Transfusion Medicine, Tehran, Iran.
Professor, Department of Immunology, School of Medicine, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, Iran.
J Med Ethics Hist Med. 2019 Jan 22;12:1. eCollection 2019.
Blood is a public resource of human origin and its transfusion process is essential to individual and public health. This study aimed to develop a national code of ethics for blood donation and transfusion (BDT). This was a qualitative research with a multi methods approach in which a combination of methods including situational analysis, focus group discussion and expert panels were used. After situational analysis and orientation, the code of ethics for BDT was developed based on the findings of a content analysis within the framework of the four principles of biomedical ethics. The results were categorized into two sections: situational analysis and underpinnings measures, and the clauses of the code. The Iranian Blood Transfusion Organization has carried out three essential supportive measures over the past decades: approval of insurance coverage of blood recipients against communicable diseases; inclusion of 14 blood services in the book of "Relative Value Units of Health Services"; and formation of the National Ethics Committee of Transfusion Medicine. After recognition and orientation, the national code of ethics for BDT was adopted and imparted to blood donation centers. The code consists of two sections: "Blood Transfusion Centers: Donors and Donation" in 19 clauses, and "Hospitals: Patients" in 8 clauses. The national code of ethics for BDT establishes moral norms in order to protect the rights of blood donors and recipients. It could also serve as a basis for addressing the related ethical challenges and right decision-making in the area of BDT.
血液是一种源自人类的公共资源，其输血过程对个人和公众健康至关重要。本研究旨在制定一部全国性的献血和输血（BDT）伦理准则。这是一项采用多方法的定性研究，其中运用了包括情境分析、焦点小组讨论和专家小组等多种方法的组合。经过情境分析和定位后，基于生物医学伦理四大原则框架内的内容分析结果制定了BDT伦理准则。结果分为两个部分：情境分析与支撑措施，以及准则条款。伊朗输血组织在过去几十年里采取了三项重要的支持措施：批准为受血者提供针对传染病的保险覆盖；将14项血液服务纳入《健康服务相对价值单位》一书；以及成立国家输血医学伦理委员会。经过认可和定位后，全国性的BDT伦理准则被采纳并传达给献血中心。该准则由两部分组成：“输血中心：献血者与献血”，共19条条款；以及“医院：患者”，共8条条款。全国性的BDT伦理准则确立了道德规范，以保护献血者和受血者的权利。它还可作为应对BDT领域相关伦理挑战和做出正确决策的依据。
