Acquired immunodeficiency syndrome and directed blood donations. A dilemma for American medicine.

The devastating consequences of transfusion-associated acquired immunodeficiency syndrome have led some patients and physicians to propose recipient-orchestrated (directed) donations as a method of improving the safety of blood transfusions. This method is not safer than volunteer blood donation and introduces several legal, ethical, and administrative problems. Blood banks should discourage the use of directed blood donations, and physicians should work to educate the public about the lack of benefit of directed donations and their potential risks.