Challenges in the world of blood donation

In this lecture, professor Eva-Maria Merz will discuss some of the challenges surrounding this process and the research being done into it. The themes of ethics, altruism and social issues in the world of blood donation are discussed.

·         Ethical issues relate, for example, to voluntariness of donation and full information about the responsibility of donors and possible risks of donating. How ethical is it to pay your donors?

·         Psychological issues refer to the selfless gift of donors, but is blood donation actually always altruistic? Is the predisposition for generosity genetically determined?

·         Social issues include, for example, inequality in access to appropriate blood and plasma products. How do we overcome social inequality and distrust in medical science?

About the speaker

Eva-Maria Merz is a social scientist with a background in family demography and developmental psychology. She heads the Donor Behavior research line at Sanquin Research and is a professor at the Vrije Universiteit.

Stockvis lecture

The Stokvis Lecture is named after Prof. B.J. Stokvis, first chairman of the Dutch Natural and Medical Congress in 1887. As a reminder of this now defunct society, Rijksmuseum Boerhaave organizes a special lecture every year.

Plasma!

The pop-up exhibition Plasma! is a collaboration between Rijksmuseum Boerhaave and Sanquin and can be seen until January 7, 2024. Click here for more information.

Practical information Where: The conference hall of Rijksmuseum Boerhaave Registration: You can register via the form. Please note: Your registration will only be registered if you have received our automatic confirmation email (check your spam box). Costs: Free with a valid museum ticket, or completely free with a museum card or student card.