A hospital in the United States has grappled with an unusual demand from patients undergoing blood transfusions: the requirement that the blood originate from donors who have not received COVID-19 vaccinations. This stipulation has resulted in treatment delays, with one instance leading to a patient experiencing a life-threatening reaction.
Jeremy Jacobs from Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Nashville, Tennessee, noted that these requests often stemmed from misinformation regarding vaccine safety and the blood supply, rather than from evidence-based concerns about transfusions. He emphasized that the community blood supply is already subject to stringent regulations and careful screening, and there is no scientific evidence to suggest that requesting unvaccinated blood enhances transfusion safety.
Jacobs and his colleagues conducted an analysis of blood donations at the Vanderbilt center between January 2024 and December 2025. Their findings revealed that 15 patients, or their representatives, specifically requested directed donations. In such cases, blood is provided by a chosen individual, frequently a relative, rather than sourced from a general blood bank.
Directed donations are typically permitted in the United Kingdom and Australia only under specific exceptional circumstances. These might include situations where a patient has a rare blood type and a suitable donor from the blood bank is unavailable. In the United States, while the practice is allowed more broadly, it is generally discouraged, with policies varying significantly across different medical centers.
The researchers discovered that all 15 patients who made these requests specifically sought blood from donors confirmed to be unvaccinated against COVID-19. Jacobs clarified that the vaccination status of anonymized donors is not recorded or disclosed by blood banks.
These specific requests led to delays in necessary treatments, placing the patients at considerable risk. In the most severe recorded case, a patient’s hemoglobin levels—the protein responsible for oxygen transport in the blood—dropped to a critical point. Severely low hemoglobin can precipitate organ injury and failure. Another patient subsequently developed anemia as a consequence.
Jacobs explained that directed donation presents greater operational complexities compared to utilizing the standard blood supply. This involves additional coordination for collection, processing, tracking, and timing, all of which can impact efficiency and introduce potential bottlenecks.
While all blood is meticulously screened prior to transfusion, directed donations have also been associated with an elevated risk of infection. This is often due to their nature as single, isolated donations. They contrast with donations from repeat donors within the community, who may be known to blood banks and are typically more cautious about potential infection exposures.
The practice of directed donations saw an increase during the HIV/AIDS epidemic in the 1980s and early 1990s. Their prominence rose again with the introduction of mRNA COVID-19 vaccines. These vaccines function by introducing a fragment of SARS-CoV-2’s genetic material to prompt the body’s immune system to recognize and target the virus. This mechanism prepares the immune system to combat future infection.
Extensive research has consistently demonstrated the safety and high efficacy of these vaccines. Nevertheless, misinformation has circulated, falsely linking them to fertility issues and other health concerns. Some conspiracy theories have even inaccurately claimed that these vaccines contain microchips or alter human DNA.
In 2025, a study confirmed the safety of receiving blood transfusions from individuals vaccinated against COVID-19. Ash Toye from the University of Bristol in the UK remarked that requests for unvaccinated blood reflect broader public uncertainty about vaccines rather than any recognized transfusion risk.
This issue is not confined to the Vanderbilt center. The Welsh Blood Service reported last year that inquiries about the vaccination status of blood donors were becoming more frequent. Simultaneously, a petition submitted to the UK government to segregate blood donations based on vaccination status was rejected. In Oklahoma, however, legislators have put forth proposals to mandate patient access to unvaccinated blood.
Jacobs concluded that these requests highlight how misinformation can create substantial operational challenges for patients, hospitals, and blood providers. He also stressed the importance of addressing patients’ concerns with respect and thoughtfulness, even when those concerns are not supported by scientific evidence.