France decree on untested blood donation:
This article was originally published in Clinica
Executive Summary
The French Health Ministry has published a decree allowing exceptions to the usual requirements for testing blood for infections, namely HIV and hepatitis C, in cases of medical urgency and where the blood is for autologous use. The consent of the patient, or of a family member should be gained in the case of medical urgency prior to the use of the untested blood where no other appropriate blood in available. The decree was signed on May 3 2002.