: the drawing of blood (as by venipuncture) for transfusion, apheresis, diagnostic testing, or experimental procedures
NOTE: Phlebotomy was once widely used to treat many types of disease but is now limited to the treatment of only a few conditions like hemochromatosis and polycythemia vera.
Phlebotomy, also called blood draw or venipuncture, is when blood is drawn from a vein using a needle. It is usually done for laboratory testing and is an important tool used to diagnose many medical conditions. Phlebotomy may also be done as a treatment for certain medical conditions such as hemochromatosis, sickle cell disease or nonalcoholic fatty liver disease.