South Dakota House Bill HB1078

South Dakota 2025 Regular Session

• Introduced: 1/21/25
• Refer: 1/21/25
• Report Pass: 1/30/25

Caption

Establish provisions related to the disclosure of COVID-19 vaccination status and blood donations.

Impact

This bill significantly impacts healthcare practices surrounding blood donation and transfusion. Healthcare professionals are mandated to use blood that corresponds to the vaccination status requested by individuals undergoing nonemergent transfusions, should such blood be available at their facility. This provision places additional responsibilities on blood donation centers and healthcare providers to track and manage vaccination statuses, potentially affecting inventory management and donor recruitment strategies.

Summary

House Bill 1078 aims to establish specific provisions regarding the disclosure of COVID-19 vaccination status for blood donors in South Dakota. Under this legislation, individuals collecting blood donations must require donors to disclose whether they have ever received a COVID-19 vaccination. If a donor confirms their vaccination status, the blood bags must be labeled accordingly, ensuring that the vaccination status is indicated without revealing any personally identifiable information about the donor.

Contention

While the bill directly addresses the safety and transparency of blood transfusions during the ongoing pandemic, it could also raise ethical and practical concerns. Potential issues include the implications for donor privacy and the risk of discrimination based on vaccination status. These elements may generate debate among healthcare professionals, policymakers, and the public, especially given the sensitive nature of health-related information and the impacts on donor willingness and blood supply adequacy.