Randomdonor

Randomdonor is a term used in donation practices to describe a donor selected from a broad pool of potential contributors rather than from a known, related, or directed donor. The concept is most commonly encountered in medical settings where compatibility and availability influence donor choice, including blood transfusion and hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT). The word emphasizes the lack of a pre-existing relationship between donor and recipient.

In HSCT, patients who do not have a matched related donor may receive cells from an unrelated donor found through international registries. Potential donors are screened for human leukocyte antigen (HLA) compatibility, and other factors such as age, sex, and infection status may influence selection. Unrelated donor transplants carry additional risks compared with related ones but have become increasingly successful due to expanded registries and improved matching techniques.

In blood services, "random donor" typically refers to donations from volunteers in the general population who provide whole blood or plasma as needed, as opposed to directed or autologous donations. The term underscores the default, nondirected source of much of the supply and the need for donor screening and pathogen testing to ensure safety.

Ethical and regulatory frameworks govern donor recruitment, informed consent, data privacy, and the use of donor material, including anonymity in some contexts and traceability to recipients where required by policy or law.