What is autologous and directed blood?
Autologous blood is a blood donation you make for yourself prior to having surgery. You can usually donate up to four units of your own blood for use during surgery. Directed blood is blood that you donate specifically for someone else to use. Directed blood is usually given by one family member to another. If it is going to a blood relative, the blood must be irradiated first to reduce the risk of graft versus host disease (GVHD). In either case, you must have a doctor’s prescription to donate for yourself or another person. Also, for directed units, the blood donor must still meet all of the eligibility requirements of regular donors.
