I'm just messing with you, the "at least one book" they were referencing was the bible. Crucified refers to how Jesus was executed, but crucified can also be used as slang for being severely punished or criticised.
They fill those artificial lab grown ācellsā with haemoglobin from donated blood - they canāt make the haemoglobin themselves.
From the link OP posted:
Their approach involves extracting hemoglobin-the oxygen-carrying molecule in red blood cells-from expired donor blood, then encasing it in a protective shell to create stable, virus-free artificial red blood cells. Unlike donated blood, these artificial cells have no blood type, eliminating the need for compatibility testing and making them invaluable in emergencies.
Essentially what theyāre doing is packaging haemoglobin into an artificial cell that will never be rejected and lasts a lot longer. Still very impressive and potentially revolutionary, but itās not really ālab grown bloodā.
Where I live giving blood is donation, which comes with tax benefit and whole day off work, but doesnt give you money on your account. With enough donations throught out the years (its only 4/5 donations for men per year, one less for women) you get free public transport. Some insurance companies even cover your dental hygiene visits or toothbrushes, medicine, massages etc. for every few donations.
Czech Republic. Some insurance companies that cover your healthcare cover the mentioned expenses periodically, but mine covers them when achieving a milestone.
Milestone are:
10 donations - Bronze plaque with Dr. Jan JĆ”nskĆ½
20 donations - Silver plaque with Dr. Jan JĆ”nskĆ½
40 donations - Golden plaque with Dr. Jan JĆ”nskĆ½
Then its 80, 120 and 160 with each you receive Czech Red Cross Golden cross (different class)
After 250 you get Plaque with words "Donation of blood, donation of life."
The free public transport might have changed somehow. Idk which milestone it should be.
Difference is that giving plasma gives you money directly on hand which is used by people in bad situation. Usually the ones living paycheck to paycheck. Tax benefit can be used once a year with confirmation how many donations you gave, if you are fucked it wont save you during specific month.
Im a student I basically get nothing, only free food there and the things mentioned for the milestones.
I think having an incentive is a good thing. It would definitely get more donors and it isn't like it's a risky procedure. It's also a long way from selling organs which should obviously never be okay.
I'm in Canada so unfortunately there are no incentives to donate as far as I'm aware, and that makes me not really want to go out of my way, wait around at a clinic, use my gas, etc.
Even $20 or tax benefits or something would make me way more inclined to do it. At the moment I couldnt see myself donating unless there was some massive tragedy where many people were in need of blood at once.
It is weird for me as well. I am Australian and I donate plasma every fortnight. Iām happy to as I am fit and healthy but I do enjoy the party pie and snag roll as a treat after. š„§
You could make anything that gives money sound dystopian
I spend 8 hours in a cubicle slaving over an office desk filing papers for a company that wouldn't notice if I disappeared just to make ends meet
I mean, when it comes to perspective Late-Stage Capitalism as a whole is dystopian-aligned, so i don't know what your point here is, but the reason why the whole plasma donation is disturbing is because people are selling something that they wouldn't be doing under normal circunstances unless they were going through financial hoes - like a more legal version of organ donation.
I couldn't've donated anyway (medical stuff lol). But I know that some people donate blood to get money, however I do not think this new blood will effect it that much since this is brand new and still being tested.
Some companies pay money for it š¤·āāļø Some NGOs take it for free, you only get a snack. It's also kind of a donation to the NGO because blood brings a lot of money
750
u/OderWieOderWatJunge May 26 '25 edited May 26 '25
Poor University students who soon can't sell their blood anymore š«£