142: Who Chooses the Blood You Get? | Liz James | The Feds

<p> 1 in 70 Americans will need a blood transfusion this year. Almost none of them know they most likely can&#39;t choose the donor.</p><p>In this episode, Stephanie Weidle speaks with<strong>Liz James, a pharmacist of over thirty years and founder of Blessed by His Blood</strong>, a member-owned cooperative that matches direct blood donations to patients who want to choose whose blood they receive.</p><p>The conversation explores how three separate parties — your doctor, your hospital, and the blood bank holding their contract — each have to say yes before you can receive a directed donation, and how any one of them can quietly say no. <strong>If three people have to approve before you can choose your own donor, who is the system actually built for?</strong></p><p><strong>We discuss: </strong></p><p>👉 Why doctors often don’t know how to write the order </p><p>👉 What happens to blood after you give it away for free </p><p>👉 Why only 3% of Americans donate, and the number is falling </p><p>👉 The Texas bill that died twice one step from the finish line </p><p><strong>Chapters:</strong></p><ul><li>01:29 — How Direct Donation Works, and Who&#39;s Blocking It</li><li>07:18 — Why People Ask for Direct Donor Blood</li><li>11:05 — Screening Questions and Shelf Life</li><li>14:48 — Only 3% Donate: The Supply Problem</li><li>17:01 — The $32 Billion Blood Industry</li><li>23:51 — Bodily Autonomy and Informed Consent</li><li>26:38 — Liz&#39;s Story: Leaving Pharmacy, Founding BBHB</li></ul><p><strong>Learn more or become a member</strong>:<a href="https://www.blessedbyhisblood.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer nofollow noopener"><u>https://www.blessedbyhisblood.com</u></a></p><p><strong>Follow Blessed by His Blood:</strong> <a href="https://x.com/blessedBHB" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer nofollow noopener"><u>X</u></a>,<a href="https://www.facebook.com/BlessedBHB" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer nofollow noopener"><u>Facebook</u></a></p><p>——</p><p>🎧 Listen to<em> The Feds</em> on<a href="https://jameserdman.substack.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer nofollow noopener"><u><strong>Substack</strong></u></a> &amp; all other platforms:<a href="https://taplink.cc/fedsforfreedom" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer nofollow noopener"><u><strong> </strong></u></a><a href="https://taplink.cc/fedsforfreedom" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer nofollow noopener"><u><strong>https://taplink.cc/fedsforfreedom</strong></u></a></p><p>🇺🇸 Visit our Website:<a href="http://fedsforfreedom.org/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer nofollow noopener"><u><strong> </strong></u></a><a href="http://fedsforfreedom.org/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer nofollow noopener"><u><strong>FedsForFreedom.org</strong></u></a> </p><p>🏃 Follow us on<a href="https://www.instagram.com/feds4freedomusa" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer nofollow noopener"><u><strong> </strong></u></a><a href="https://www.instagram.com/feds4freedomusa" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer nofollow noopener"><u><strong>Instagram</strong></u></a> /<a href="https://twitter.com/feds4freedomusa" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer nofollow noopener"><u><strong>X</strong></u></a> /<a href="https://www.facebook.com/Feds4FreedomUSA/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer nofollow noopener"><u><strong>Facebook</strong></u></a>:  @feds4freedomusa</p>