What's the problem with using attractive models for this?

[congodwarf]

@Cheesesteak

In this case, Mass. law states that insurance MUST pay for it

Just to clarify (because my brain is on vacation), you mean the insurance must pay for it IF there’s no charitable organization footing the bill, yes? Because I am in MA so that confused me for a sec (as does everything else at the moment).

I always assumed there was only one donor registry, ya know, the NATIONAL Marrow Donor Registry and I also assumed that they footed the bill for the testing through donations and such. It seems to me that it’d be easier to search if all the information were in one place (or do they share with each other?)

[The_Lurker_Above]

@Spiff

So … we have reams and reams of the type of data you’re interested in, and they show that there are very significant differences in donation rates based on where and how a person is recruited

…

So anyway, we don’t have donation rate data on volunteer donors recruited by models, as we are a reputable organization. But we certainly have over the years put a magnifying glass to this topic, and have a pretty firm grasp of donor motivation. I think it’s safe to say that volunteer donors recruited by models would have below average donation rates. Sorry, I can’t give you an exact percentage.

I’m not doubting your numbers at all, but I’m boggled by the idea that someone can be told, in effect, “There’s someone who’s going to die without a marrow transplant, and you’re the best match. Do you want to donate?” and say no.

I signed up with Canadian Blood Services One Match a year or two ago, and the only contact I’ve had since has been my address change. Just from the numbers I don’t expect to be called for a donation, but if I am it’ll take serious health problems on my part for me to say no.

Do you have any pointers to papers/studies on why people on the registry don’t donate?

[Robot_Arm]

Sorry, I only got as far as “short skirts and lab coats”.

[Gus_Gusterson]

@Gus_Gusterson

I fell for the Caitlin Raymond scam. They were collecting samples at a Red Cross blood drive, so that lent some credibility to the organization. They do a hard sell and I broke my normal rule of not donating, signing, or participating in anything when approached or phoned (I say “I will research this on my own and will decide then”). I was pissed when I found out that they charged my insurance $3,500 for the testing.

I don’t recall whether the person who hooked me was hot.

I told my wife about this thread. She reminded me that the charge was reversed by UMass Medical Center when I complained. And that makes me wonder why they were able to keep this scam up for so long. Why didn’t the insurance companies cry foul when they got outrageous bills for this testing? I don’t see how they could have been in on it (they paid the charges, so what would have been in it for them?), so why did they let it go on for so long?

[constanze]

@The_Lurker_Above

I’m not doubting your numbers at all, but I’m boggled by the idea that someone can be told, in effect, “There’s someone who’s going to die without a marrow transplant, and you’re the best match. Do you want to donate?” and say no.

There can be reasons beyond just being an egoistic person. When a match comes up, they send you a huge form with all risks outlined, because not only is it a bit painful, it’s a surgical procedure, so it carries all the small but still present risks - 4% risk of problems with the anesthetic, 5% risk of infection with super-resistant bacteria while in the hospital etc. (numbers not accurate, just memory). And because this is a voluntary, not medically necessary procedure for the donor, they spend pages detailing the risks and making sure why medically this is a bad idea.

And of course donors are also rejected by the doctors - if there is anything that increases the risk during the surgery, the donor can’t simply say “I’m willing to take the risk”. The doctors refuse (out of fear of being sued, I think) and you don’t get the chance to donate.