Ethnic profiling? Yes please!

Though ethnic profiling by the police or recruiters has caused a lot of commotion over these past few years, in the field of medicine it can be a life-and-death matter. Ethnic origin plays an important role in finding a donor match, and not only with respect to donating blood. The major problem we’re having: non-Western migrants are heavily underrepresented in the Dutch donor pool.

Various experts from within and outside of Sanquin shed their light on the importance of a varied donor pool in this longread. PhD student Lisa klinkenberg, from the Donor Cognition group, is investigating what barriers exist for ethnic minorities to become blood donors. Some of the explanations are related to their origin, she discoverd. "Non-Western migrants often do not know of any donor within their family or circle of friends. They're lacking a role model from within their own group."

Read the full article 

Photos: No Candy