A. Voluntary non-remunerated blood donor

• A person who gives blood, plasma or other blood components of his/her own free will and receives no payment for it, either in the form of cash or in-kind which could be considered a substitute for money. This includes time off work, other than reasonably needed for the donation and travel. Small tokens, refreshments and reimbursement of the direct travel costs are compatible with voluntary, non-remunerated blood donation.
• “Voluntary” blood donation refers to “unpaid, non-remunerated” blood donation.
• An altruistic donor who gives blood freely and willingly without receiving money or any other form of payment.

Categories of Voluntary blood donor

• New voluntary donor: A voluntary non-remunerated blood donor who has never donated blood before.
• Lapsed voluntary donor: A voluntary non-remunerated blood donor who has given blood in the past but does not fulfill the criteria for a regular donor.
• Regular voluntary donor: A voluntary non-remunerated blood donor who donates blood on a regular basis without any break for a longer duration between tow donations.

Regular Voluntary Non-Remunerated Blood Donor

A voluntary non-remunerated blood donor who has donated at least three times, the last donation being within the previous year, and continues to donate regularly at least once per year.

B. Other categories of blood donors
i. Family / replacement blood donor

• A donor who gives blood when it is required by a member of the patient's family or community. This may involve a hidden paid donation system in which the donor is paid by the patient's family
• A family / replacement donor is one who gives blood when it is required by a member of his/her family or community. This often involves coercion and/or payment which compromise the safety of the blood.
• A member of the family or a friend of the patient who donates blood in replacement of blood needed for the particular patient without involvement of any monetary or other benefits from any source.

ii. Paid / Professional blood donor

A donor who donates blood in exchange of money or other form of payment. The professional blood donation is banned in our country w.e.f. 1st January 1998.

iii. Forced blood donor

A person who is not willing to donate blood on his/her own, but is being forced by their superiors or employer for donation. There is always a fear of losing ones own job or promotion.

iv. Autologous blood donor

A patient who donates his/her blood to be stored and reinfused, if needed, during surgery. The patient themselves acts as a blood donor.

v. Autologous blood donation

The process of donating one's own blood prior to an elective surgical or medical procedure to avoid or reduce the need for an allergenic blood transfusion.

vi. Apheresis donor

A donor who donates only one of their blood components through the process of cell separation. This donor may be either voluntary or replacement donor.