Requiring health care facilities to provide autologous blood transfusions and direct allogeneic blood transfusions to individuals under certain circumstances.
Summary
SB 1194, the Autologous and Direct Allogeneic Blood Transfusion Act, would require licensed health care facilities in Pennsylvania to allow certain patients to use either an autologous blood transfusion or a direct allogeneic blood transfusion for a scheduled medical procedure. The bill defines autologous transfusion as a patient donating their own blood for their own future use, and direct allogeneic transfusion as blood donated by a specified donor for transfusion into a specified individual.
To use either option, the patient must notify the facility at least 72 hours before the procedure. For a direct allogeneic transfusion, the patient must also provide a list of eligible blood donors. The bill’s stated purpose is to reduce or eliminate the need for standard allogeneic transfusions and the associated risks, including transfusion reactions and the possible transmission of infectious diseases.
Impact
The bill would create a new statutory requirement for hospitals, clinics, outpatient facilities, and other Department of Health-licensed treatment centers to accommodate patient-requested autologous and directed blood transfusions when the notice and donor-list conditions are met. It would not appear to regulate blood collection generally, but it would affect facility policies, surgical planning, transfusion protocols, and coordination with blood banks and donor screening processes. The act would take effect 60 days after enactment.
Sentiment
No committee transcripts or recorded votes were provided, so there is no documented debate or formal vote history to gauge legislative sentiment. Based on the bill text alone, the measure appears to be framed as a patient-safety and patient-choice bill, with an emphasis on reducing transfusion-related risks. The absence of recorded opposition or support in the provided materials means the overall sentiment cannot be assessed beyond the bill’s stated purpose.
Contention
The main potential points of contention are operational and medical rather than ideological. Health care facilities may object to mandatory accommodation requirements because directed donations and autologous transfusions can require advance coordination, donor eligibility review, and additional logistical or safety procedures. Another possible issue is whether a facility can safely and feasibly honor a patient’s requested transfusion method in all cases, especially when timing, blood compatibility, or emergency circumstances make standard transfusion practices necessary. No specific opposing or supporting stakeholders are identified in the provided record.
Providing for patient election for donation and use of autologous blood; providing for disclosure of vaccination status in blood transfusions and requiring informed consent; and imposing duties on the Department of Health.
Adds to existing law to provide for disclosure and labeling of certain blood intended for blood transfusions and to provide that a person receiving a blood transfusion shall have the right to request blood based on vaccination status of the donor.
Urging the Congress of the United States to establish policies that would provide greater access to blood transfusions for hospice patients with blood cancer.
"Gary Letizia Pre-Hospital Blood Transfusion Act"; authorizes advanced life support providers, under medical oversight, to administer blood products to patients in pre-hospital settings, and establishes certain reimbursement for such providers.
"Gary Letizia Pre-Hospital Blood Transfusion Act"; authorizes advanced life support providers, under medical oversight, to administer blood products to patients in pre-hospital settings, and establishes certain reimbursement for such providers.
Providing for patient election for donation and use of autologous blood; providing for disclosure of vaccination status in blood transfusions and requiring informed consent; and imposing duties on the Department of Health.