Donating - it's everyone's business
The Blood Bank is part of the foundation Sanquin Blood Supply. In the Netherlands we collect blood and plasma from donors and process it into blood products. The Blood Bank also gives advice about these blood products as well and is closely involved in scientific research.
We cannot maintain the blood supply in the Netherlands without your donation and personal data. We handle the data carefully and are transparent about what we do with it. Since your data is involved, you also have a number of rights that you can exercise.
Which personal data does Sanquin collect, how and for which purposes?
Sanquin has access to the personal data of a large number of donors. The data may be confidential or sensitive. In any case, all of the data is personal. The data may include:
• name, postal address, email and telephone number to invite you to donate blood and identify you;
• health information in order to assess whether or not you may donate blood;
• information about risk factors and residence abroad in order to assess whether or not you may donate blood;
• results of lab tests in order to assess whether or not the blood may be used for a transfusion.
We collect personal data in the following ways: (1) we collect data that you supply to us yourself when you register as a donor, undergo a donor screening at a location or contact the donor information line; (2) we collect data that you supply via a web form, email or another way; (3) we can obtain data from third parties that with work with for the purposes of the donation (such as doctors).
We use this personal data for the following purposes:
• recruiting and inviting donors;
• the actual donation, the associated administration, processing and storing of blood products;
• contacting and maintaining contact with donors;
• registering and reporting (positive) results, side effects and incidents;
• contacting medical institutions, specialists and general practioners concerning donations, blood products and transfusions;
• supplying third parties with not-for-transfusion products;
• scientific research and statistical purposes.
Additional information about the processing of your personal data
How do we ensure that your data is safe and how long does Sanquin store personal data?
We take the necessary technical and organisational measures to guarantee that your personal data is well protected, for example against unauthorised or unlawful use, modification, unauthorised access or disclosure, accidental or unlawful destruction and loss.
Additional information about who can access your personal data
The general rule is that Sanquin stores personal data for as long as it is needed. Sometimes that is six months and sometime much longer as being required in order to meet statutory obligations. For example, the Blood Supply Act (‘Wet inzake bloedvoorziening’) states that data relating to donation must be stored for at least thirty years. If the data is no longer needed, we either destroy or anonymize it.
Does Sanquin disclose data to third parties?
The nature of our activities means that we may share your data with third parties such as medical institutions, specialists, general practitioners, Matchis (for stem cell donations) and the GGD. There are also institutions that monitor and test Sanquin's operations, such as the Health and Youth Care Inspectorate (IGJ). Employees at these institution can also view the data.
In certain cases, we may share your personal data with trusted third parties for the performance of certain (technical) services, e.g. hosting providers and telephone support services. All such third parties are obliged to adequately protect your data and only to process it in accordance with our instructions. We have a written contract with each of these parties, in which all matters are settled.
We may also share aggregate data, which is not traceable to the person, with third parties. We make sure that this non-personal information cannot be traced back to specific individuals. In addition, we may share your personal data with supervisory bodies and investigatory bodies if we are legally required to do so.
Does Sanquin disclose data to third parties?
The nature of our activities means that we may share your data with third parties such as medical institutions, specialists, general practitioners, Matchis (for stem cell donations) and the GGD. There are also institutions that monitor and test Sanquin's operations, such as the Health and Youth Care Inspectorate (IGJ). Employees at these institution can also view the data.
In certain cases, we may share your personal data with trusted third parties for the performance of certain (technical) services, e.g. hosting providers and telephone support services. All such third parties are obliged to adequately protect your data and only to process it in accordance with our instructions. We have a written contract with each of these parties, in which all matters are settled.
We may also share aggregate data, which is not traceable to the person, with third parties. We make sure that this non-personal information cannot be traced back to specific individuals. In addition, we may share your personal data with supervisory bodies and investigatory bodies if we are legally required to do so.
What are my rights as a donor?
As a donor, you have the right to access your personal data, to correct incorrect data and, in certain cases, to have your data removed. You also have the right, in certain cases, to request a restriction of or to lodge an objection to the processing of the data and to request data portability.
To make sure that it is you requesting your data, we ask you to provide proof of identity with a valid identity document.
If, as a donor, you have given permission for your personal data to be used, you may always revoke your permission. This does not affect the use of the data before you revoked your permission. From that moment we will not collect any new personal data. We have the right to continue processing your data, which has been collected before you revoked your consent.
Additional information about the access to your personal data
Contact Sanquin
If you have a question, let us know using the contact form for donors or on the donor information number: 088-730 8686. You can also contact us at:
Stichting Sanquin Bloedvoorziening
Postbus 9892
1006 AN Amsterdam
At Sanquin, the Data Protection Officer (DPO) advises and informs on data protection, and monitors data protection compliance at Sanquin. He can be reached at [email protected].
If you believe that Bloodbank does not comply with the above rules or does not do so adequately, or if you want to submit a complaint for another reason, please contact us.
Alternatively, you can submit a complaint to the Autoriteit Persoonsgegevens (AP). This is the Dutch independent supervisory body that monitors compliance with the statutory rules for the protection of personal data. You can contact the AP at:
Autoriteit Persoonsgegevens
Postbus 93374
2509 AJ Den Haag
Tel.: +31 (0)88 1805 250