Offering non-monetary incentives such as free access to outpatient consultations to frequent blood donors is linked to an increase in donations without compromising blood safety, finds a study from China published by The BMJ medical journal on Jan 21 (2026).
The researchers say their findings could encourage policymakers in other countries to design their own incentive models to address blood shortages.
Many countries struggle to sustain an adequate blood supply due to challenges of retaining blood donors under the “gift model” – a system based on voluntary, non-paid donations driven by altruism and social duty.
Several countries have explored granting incentives to blood donors to stimulate donations, including lottery tickets, paid leave and cash.
But research on their effectiveness is conflicting and has raised concerns that such incentives may undermine altruistic motivation.
In their study, the researchers found that an honour-based incentive model implemented in three Chinese provinces increased blood donation counts by 3.5% by the end of the second year of implementation, doubling to 7.7% by the end of the fifth year.
The model grants frequent blood donors privileges such as free access to public bus services and outpatient consultations in hospitals.
What’s more, the model did not significantly affect the donor eligibility rate (the proportion of donors who passed the necessary health screenings and were deemed eligible to donate blood), indicating maintained safety.
Caution is still warranted when interpreting these findings, say researchers from France in a linked editorial.
However, the decision to reward altruistic activities, through non-financial or indirect incentives, means that this strategy is likely to be sustainable, as the cost to the healthcare system should remain moderate, they note.
