BRANDING, COMMODIFICATION, AND ETHICAL BOUNDARIES IN HEALTHCARE ADVERTISING: A QUALITATIVE ANALYSIS OF DONATION CAMPAIGNS IN CENTRAL EUROPE

Abstract

This study examines how contemporary healthcare advertising frames the donation of body parts—blood plasma, gametes, and organs—and how such framing intersects with ethical principles, public trust, and the professional identity of healthcare workers. Drawing on qualitative content and critical discourse analyses of ten campaigns from the Czech Republic, Slovakia, the United Kingdom, Germany, Austria, and the United States, we identify recurrent communication patterns: the shift from altruistic to incentive-driven appeals, reliance on medical authority symbols to reassure safety, gendered targeting in gamete donation, and selective disclosure of risk. We interpret these patterns through the lenses of commodification theory and principlism in biomedical ethics, and we contextualise them within European legal norms including the Oviedo Convention and relevant EU directives. Findings indicate that branding and market logics shape donor motivation and perceptions of ethical boundaries; however, incentive-heavy or gender-stereotyped messaging risks eroding autonomy and justice, especially for economically vulnerable groups. We propose communication standards for ethically robust recruitment that align with legal frameworks while supporting sustainable donor relations and professional integrity in healthcare.