Patients Request Unvaccinated Blood Donors, Causing Treatment Delays

Patients are requesting blood transfusions from donors they know have not received COVID-19 vaccines, leading to delays in treatment. Researchers identified 15 cases where patients or their caregivers sought directed donations, where blood comes from a chosen person, often a relative, instead of a blood bank.

Directed donations are permitted only under exceptional circumstances in the UK and Australia, such as for rare blood types when no suitable blood-bank donor is available.

In the US, the practice is allowed more broadly but discouraged, with policies varying between centers.

Reasons for Requests and Associated Risks All

15 patients requested directed donations to ensure the blood came from unvaccinated donors, specifically against COVID-19.

The vaccination status of anonymous donors is not recorded or shared by blood banks. These requests caused treatment delays that posed risks to patients. In one case, a patient's hemoglobin level reached a critical point, potentially leading to organ injury and failure.

Another patient developed anemia. Directed donations are more complex operationally than using routine blood supplies, requiring additional coordination, collection, processing, tracking, and timing. They have also been linked to a higher infection risk, as they often come from one-off donors rather than repeat community donors who may be more cautious about infection exposure.

Historical Context

and Broader Implications Direct

donations increased during the HIV/AIDS epidemic in the 1980s and early 1990s, and rose again with the availability of mRNA COVID-19 vaccines.

These vaccines involve injecting part of SARS-CoV-2's genetic code to prompt cells to produce a viral protein, training the immune system to respond to the virus. A 2025 study confirmed that blood donations from COVID-19 vaccinated individuals are safe. Requests for unvaccinated blood reflect public uncertainty about vaccines, according to Ash Toye at the University of Bristol, UK.

The issue extends beyond one center. The Welsh Blood Service reported last year that people inquired about donors' vaccination status. A petition to the UK government to separate blood donations by vaccination status was rejected.

In Oklahoma, legislators proposed mandating access to unvaccinated blood.

“These requests illustrate how misinformation can create real operational burdens for patients, hospitals and blood providers," says Jacobs. "At the same time, they underscore the importance of addressing patients’ concerns respectfully and thoughtfully, even when those concerns are not supported by evidence." The findings were published in the journal Transfusion with DOI 10.1111/trf.70195.”