DEAR DR. GOTT: I have been reading your column for a very long time and have never read any information about how to find out what a person’s blood type is. I have asked my family physician’s office and my oncologist’s office but they will not tell me what my blood type is. How do I find this information if my own doctors won’t tell me?

DEAR READER: Your doctors’ offices have no right to withhold information regarding your health or your medical record from you. You can read more about this online at the US Department of Health and Human Services website, http://www.hhs.gov/ocr/privacy/hipaa/understanding/consumers/index.html. If you have had the test to determine your blood type, I suggest you return to your physician and/or oncologist and demand that you see the results. If you haven’t had the test, request that it be done. [Read more...]

DEAR DR. GOTT: Is it possible for three sisters with O positive blood to be related to one with A positive blood? She has always seemed different in looks and personality and we just found out about her different blood type. Both of our parents are dead and we do not know what their blood type was. We will not tell her the results, but it would explain a lot of things to us if it were true. Can you help us?

DEAR READER: The simple answer is yes, it is possible. However, without knowing your parents blood type, I cannot give you a more definitive answer. Only DNA testing can prove relation. Blood typing can merely disprove relation in cases where parental and child blood types are known. That being said, I will give you a more in-depth look at how this situation may be possible.
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