Introduction

In 1971, Richard Titmuss published The Gift Relationship, in which he argued in favour of an anonymous, voluntary, non-remunerated blood collection system as opposed to one based on the payment of blood donors. He felt confident that there were enough people intrinsically motivated to donate blood without compensation to ensure both the quality and viability of such a system, even in market economies. In the decades since Titmuss’ book was published, major international health organizations, such as the Red Cross and the World Health Organization (WHO), have encouraged governments worldwide to establish voluntary blood donor programs and to eliminate paid donation. They believe that voluntary donation is the best way to guarantee blood products’ safety.