While the vast majority of blood donations are allogenic — meaning, donated anonymously to an unknown recipient — occasionally other types of donations may be required. Whether someone is donating blood for their own future use, to a specific patient, or to assist with their own healthcare journey and well-being, Stanford Blood Center offers customized support for rare circumstances.
Special Donations Information, Appointments, and Questions
Monday-Friday, 8:00 am-5:00 pm
Phone: 650-723-6667
Email Us
Donor Forms and Ordering Process
Please note: To reduce errors and increase efficiency, SBC will phase out Special Donations ordering forms and transition to an electronic ordering system on January 20th, 2026. For more information, please email specialdonations@stanford.edu.
Autologous Donations
An autologous donation is a blood donation you give for your own surgery or medical needs. It requires an order from a physician who is completely familiar with your entire health history. You may download forms below.
Directed Donations
A directed donation is blood donated for a specific person. The patient’s provider (physician, nurse practitioner, or physician’s assistant) must give the order for donation. You may download forms here:
Directed donation information form (03-F09)
Therapeutic Donations
Therapeutic phlebotomy is a blood draw to treat certain conditions. It requires a physician’s order.
Special Donation FAQs
A: Yes, all Therapeutic donations are by appointment only. Please email specialdonations@stanford.edu to schedule an appointment. Therapeutic donors cannot walk in to donate blood as the paperwork required will not be completed, and the collections staff will be unable to draw the donor.
A: No, all Therapeutic patient units are discarded.
A: As of November 1, 2024, Therapeutic and Autologous donations no longer have an associated fee.
A: Please have your Doctor visit our website for the Autologous, Directed and Therapeutic donation forms: https://stanfordbloodcenter.org/donate-blood/special-donations.
A: Monday-Friday 7-4:30pm. Weekend appointments are not available.
A: The information is available on our website: https://stanfordbloodcenter.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/03-F67-2.0-Form-Autologous-Blood-Donation-Information.pdf
A: The information is available on our website: https://stanfordbloodcenter.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/03-F09Form_DirectedDonationInfoSheet.pdf
A: The Special Donation team will reach out within 24 hours.