Stardate 20010823.0654 (On Screen): The first, most common and by far more successful form of organ transplant in modern medicine is blood transfusion. Any healthy adult is capable of donating a half liter of blood every two months. Blood has saved countless lives. But there is superstition about it. This news report describes how a large number of people in China have been infected with HIV through blood donation. The practices described here involve reinjecting collected blood fluids back into the donors, after they've been pooled; it's no surprise that infection took place. But infection of any kind, HIV or anything else, is impossible during blood donation in the US. The way in which blood is collected here involves using sterilized needles which are used once and then thrown away, and blood and fluids are only withdrawn. Nothing is injected. Thus you are never exposed to anything and there is no risk. I have now donated something above 40 times (I've lost track), and each time I saved or helped to save a life. It does hurt, though not really a lot. But it's a small amount of pain compared to the pain it prevents: the grieving of someone for their loved one who died for lack of blood. Though I may not know them, it still would happen. If you are willing to accept blood in an emergency then you are morally bound to try to contribute blood routinely.
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