Ethics

The word ‘Ethics’ is originates from the Greek word ‘Ethica’ which comes from ‘Ethos’ meaning traditions, usages and behavior or ‘Moral Philosophy’. In Latin ‘Mores’ means customs or behavior. Therefore, ‘Ethics’ is the science of correctness and wrongness of behavior. How we conduct ourselves involves choices.

‘Ethics’ is explained as ‘Science of ideal involved in human life’.
According to Wikipedia, “Applied ethics is used in some aspects of determining public policy. The sort of questions addressed by applied ethics include: “Is affirmative action right or wrong?” “What are human rights, and how do we determine them?”’
Blood transfusion is a intricate science that brings together a healthy blood donor with an unhealthy one. The ‘Sick’ patient looking for a new lease of life.

World over, stress is given on voluntary blood donors. In India, only four out of a thousand people think of donating blood. The culture of blood donation should be the part of the community. This can be done by converting the self-centeredness of people to selflessness. In an ideal life each one should complement the other, and it is by mutual help that the whole develops towards perfection. Every individual is a member of a social unit, his supreme will should not simply be the perfecting of his own life, or the realisation of what appeals to him as the most fundamental values but also the perfecting of the society to which he belongs. To a great extent one end will coincide with the other.

The lack of donors led to commercialization of blood donor business, and the creation of commercial blood banks involved in buying and selling of blood.

When we seek simply our own individual ends, this attitude is called 'egoism' while the term 'altruism' has been used to devotion to the ends of others. We can realise the true self or the complete good only by social end. In order to do this, we must negate the merely individual self, which is not the true self. We must realise ourselves by becoming worthy of the society to be useful for others. The more fully we do so realise ourselves, the more do we reach an universal point of view - i. e., a point of view from which our own private good is no more to us than the good of anyone else. This is self-realisation — self realisation for the sake of the whole. This good is clearly a social good.

With conviction and faith in this philosophy, any individual, group and organisation can take up the task of blood donor motivation, recruitment and retention by converting 'egoism' of individuals to altruism, remembering all the time that motive means what moves us or causes us to act in a particular way.

The means should not be overlooked. Education of soul is the only tool. The donor should be assured of absolute confidentiality about identity and blood test results and reasons of deferral.

Then comes the blood bank to collect blood to ensure safety of the donor and safety of the recipient. Scientific donor screening, maintaining confidentiality at every stage should be the creed of blood bank personnel to collect blood and maintain adequate stock. In storing and distribution of blood the administrative or personal balance of convenience should not get precedence but the need of the patient should be the supreme. For this, development of personnel at all levels through training, education and self-development would be necessary. The community should have appreciation for the blood donor, blood bank personnel including those behind the public eyes working faithfully in the laboratory, counter and other places. Then comes the doctors, the users of blood. Blood transfusion is transplanting from outside in large quantity to human circulation system. There are some hazards which may be fatal too. Unnecessary transfusion should be avoided to ensure safety of the recipient. In case of planned, cold or chronic cases, the attending doctor can deter a patient's relatives from going to commercial blood sellers. He/she can inspire the patient's friends and relatives to donate blood for some one whom they love. He/ she can help the blood bank by sending the report of blood transfusion through feed back/reaction forms. One more thing. Asking for the so-called fresh blood every now and then puts the patient in the hands of paid donors in disguise and also to the hazard of untested blood transfusion.