New York Blood Center Drops Social Security Number Requirement

Perhaps on the heels of a New York law that prohibits "[p]rint[ing] an individual's social security account number on any card or tag required for the individual to access . . . services or benefits," the New York Blood Center has finally dropped its longstanding requirement that donors give up their social security numbers to the Blood Center before they were allowed to donate blood or plasma.

I had complained about this more than four years ago, and I knew that the requirement remained in place as of this past fall. In reviewing the new statute, I decided to ask the Blood Center whether it still required its donors social security numbers. A prompt email reply informed me that, as of December 1 of last year, it did not.

Time to roll up my sleeve . . . .