Every organization has an origin story. Some begin with a carefully written business plan or years of strategic preparation. Others begin with a single question that refuses to go away. For SafeBlood founder George Della Pietra, that question centered on one of the most fundamental principles of medicine: What happens when patients are no longer allowed to choose what enters their own bloodstream?
That question eventually became the foundation for what is now SafeBlood, a global organization operating in approximately sixty countries and dedicated to advancing informed consent, blood transparency, patient education, and donor choice. In a recent conversation, George sat down with SafeBlood’s Vice President and Director of Media Relations, Dr. R. Clinton Ohlers, PhD, to reflect on the remarkable journey that transformed a single concern into an international movement serving thousands of members around the world. Their discussion explored not only how SafeBlood was born, but also why they believe its mission has become increasingly important in today’s rapidly changing medical landscape.
When a Question Became a Mission
George explained that SafeBlood was never created because he wanted to start another nonprofit organization or build an alternative blood bank. In fact, during the early months of the COVID pandemic, he had little intention of becoming publicly involved at all. With decades of experience as a naturopath, he naturally viewed emerging medical information through a critical lens.
Everything changed, however, when hospitals in Switzerland began eliminating long-established patient options that had existed for decades. George described the moment he discovered that some hospitals had stopped allowing patients to donate their own blood before surgery through autologous donation, while also refusing directed donations from family members or trusted individuals. To him, this represented something far larger than a change in hospital policy. It was a fundamental shift in patient autonomy. Rather than allowing individuals to participate in decisions about their own medical care, those decisions were increasingly being made for them. It was at that moment, George explained, that he realized someone needed to stand up for the principle that patients deserve meaningful choices when it comes to blood transfusions.
At the same time, naturopaths in George’s circle were observing anomalies in the blood of recently mRNA vaccinated individuals, compared with the unvaccinated. (Pictures and video on our website’s homepage.)
That realization became the catalyst for SafeBlood. Rather than attempting to build a traditional blood bank, George envisioned something much more practical and scalable: an international network capable of connecting willing donors with recipients who wished to exercise greater participation in their own medical decisions. His vision was never simply about storing blood. It was about creating relationships, educating patients, and building a community long before a medical emergency ever occurred. What began as a simple idea in Switzerland would eventually expand across continents and unite thousands of people around a shared commitment to informed consent and patient choice.
From Switzerland to a Worldwide Movement
What started as a focused vision to connect donors and recipients has grown into an international organization with members in approximately sixty countries. While every nation presents unique legal and healthcare challenges, the underlying mission has remained remarkably consistent: helping patients understand their options, matching donors with recipients, and advocating for patient rights and greater transparency surrounding blood transfusion practices.
One of the most remarkable developments, George noted, has been the explosive growth of the United States division. Thanks to the work of SafeBlood’s American leadership team, more than half of the organization’s worldwide membership now resides in the United States. That growth reflects not only increasing awareness of SafeBlood’s mission but also the desire of many Americans to become actively involved in protecting patient choice and supporting a growing international community committed to informed consent.
A Different Path to the Same Mission
Dr. R. Clinton Ohlers’ journey to SafeBlood followed a very different path, yet ultimately arrived at the same destination. Before joining the organization, Dr. Ohlers was serving as a visiting research professor at the University of Hong Kong, one of Asia’s leading academic institutions. As events surrounding COVID began unfolding, he found himself witnessing many of the earliest developments from a unique international perspective. Those experiences ultimately led him and his family to return to the United States, where he quickly became concerned by what he viewed as a growing reluctance within academic and medical institutions to openly question prevailing narratives.
As a historian of science, Dr. Ohlers explained that scientific progress has always depended upon careful observation, healthy skepticism, and rigorous debate. Throughout history, new discoveries have emerged because researchers were willing to ask difficult questions and examine evidence wherever it led. As he began studying early clinical observations and published research surrounding COVID treatments, he became increasingly convinced that important scientific discussions were being prematurely closed rather than openly explored. His subsequent writings eventually attracted the attention of individuals already working with George Della Pietra, leading to an introduction that would fundamentally change the direction of his career. He soon joined SafeBlood as the organization’s principal scientific spokesman in the United States, helping communicate both the scientific and ethical principles that continue to shape the movement today.
Join the SafeBlood Movement
SafeBlood exists to protect informed consent, blood transparency, patient choice, and medical freedom. If you believe patients deserve to participate in decisions about what enters their bloodstream, there are several ways you can help strengthen this growing movement.
Become a SafeBlood Member
Membership is the foundation of everything we do. Your support helps expand our donor network, educational initiatives, legislative advocacy, scientific outreach, and patient resources. When you upgrade to a paid Substack subscription, your monthly SafeBlood membership is included at no additional cost.
Become a SafeBlood Affiliate
Help educate your audience while growing the movement. Whether you’re a physician, podcaster, writer, educator, or advocate for medical freedom, our affiliate program provides tools to help spread awareness and expand patient choice.
Support the SafeBlood Foundation
The SafeBlood Foundation is a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. Your tax-deductible donation helps fund education, research, patient advocacy, and the development of resources that advance informed consent and blood transparency around the world. Thank you to everyone whose generosity makes this work possible.
Together, we are building more than a donor network. We are building a global community committed to protecting patient autonomy and ensuring that informed consent remains at the center of modern medicine.
If you cannot choose what enters your bloodstream, you do not have informed consent.
