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Comment by daenz | Hacker News Reader

I used to donate blood regularly. I would donate more regularly if I got a full blood panel with each donation. I've been quoted $600-2500. Surely you can comp that for me if I give you a pint.

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In case anyone is curious, it appears a pint of blood in the US sells for $150--$300.

That seems to answer it on face value, unless the prices quoted for blood panels are very inflated due to insurance.

EDIT>> Maybe a punch card? Donate N pints, get a free blood panel.

Worked for Quest Diagnostics in the mid 2000s. My understanding is they basically print money. After capex, most tests are very cheap. A bit like running a silicon fab.

Lab companies absolutely should be included, as a co-equal, in the list of villains.

“After capex”

... or run each donated pint through one randomly chosen extra screening. Donate often enough, and you get a full screening.

According to the Red Cross website, donated blood is tested, too. https://www.redcrossblood.org/donate-blood/blood-donation-pr...

So presumably they could just pass back the results of that test

It looks like it's just tested for different diseases. I'm more referring to my different blood metrics (cholesterol, CBC, CMP, hormones, etc)

I think its only tested for infectious diseases and the like, not the sort of things covered in a blood panel like the parent is referring to. I suppose at least the results of the infectious tests could be passed on.

In Poland you can get basic tests once a year if you ask beforehand.

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