Which statement about autologous transfusions is false?

• A. There are no donor blood requirements for them.
• B. Autologous donations require ABO/Rh testing.
• C. The donor's hemoglobin must be at least 11.0 g/dL.
• D. Blood should not be drawn within 72 hours before the anticipated operation.

Answer: (A)

Autologous transfusion still follows safety and labeling procedures just like any other donor unit. Even though the blood goes back to the same patient, the donated unit must be ABO and Rh typed and properly labeled, and it must be screened for infectious diseases before storage and transfusion. These checks protect against errors such as mislabeling or contaminated products, and they ensure the unit can be safely used for the patient who donated it. The donor’s hemoglobin is typically required to be at or above around 11 g/dL to proceed with donation, so that the patient won’t be unduly weakened by the collection. Also, donation timing matters: many programs avoid drawing blood within 72 hours of the planned operation to ensure safety and adequate testing time. So, saying there are no donor blood requirements contradicts these standard safety practices.