Whose Blood is It Anyway?

Photo:  University of Utah, Health Sciences Library

This morning on my way into the office, I stopped in at a Quest Diagnostics Lab to have blood drawn.  (Next week it’s back on the medical merry-go-round for me.)  Thankfully, the place was empty and even without an appointment I was in and out in about three minutes. 

It occurred to me on the walk to work, though, that aside from printing my name on the clipboard at the front window, verifying my address, and signing and printing my name on a form where the phlebotomist pointed, he had no way of knowing that I was truly the person I claimed to be. 

Although I would not ever consider doing it, the whole episode did make me wonder what (aside from the moral imperative to do the right thing) would prevent me from sending a marathon-running, 20-something who is genetically predisposed to low cholesterol to provide “my” blood? 

I’m just sayin’…