Findings show increases are sustained over time without compromising blood safety
WEDNESDAY, Jan. 28, 2026 (HealthDay News) — Noncash incentives increase blood donations, according to a study published Jan. 21 in The BMJ.
Yuhao Liu, from the Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College in Beijing, and colleagues evaluated the impact of the honor blood donation incentive policy (e.g., free access to public bus services and outpatient consultations in hospitals) on blood donation quantity. The analysis included data from blood stations in 26 Chinese provinces (2012 to 2018).
The researchers found that the honor model increased blood donation counts by 3.55 percent by the end of the second year of implementation. The effect doubled to 7.70 percent by the end of the fifth year. Increased blood donation was driven by absolute increases in whole blood donation of 3.34 percent at the end of the second year and 7.23 percent by the end of the fifth year. The donor eligibility rate was not significantly impacted by the honor model. Results were robust across analysis type.
“Our findings show that the honor model can drive sustained improvements in blood donation counts without compromising blood safety,” the authors write. “Policy makers in other countries should consider the feasibility and desirability of using the honor model and designing their own incentives to address potential blood shortage concerns.”
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