Phlebotomy is the process of using a needle to draw blood from a vein, usually in your arm. It's a common procedure performed for various reasons, including:

• Diagnostic testing:  Blood tests are used to diagnose a wide range of medical conditions by analysing the components in your blood.

• Monitoring existing conditions:  Regular blood tests can help monitor existing medical conditions like diabetes or high blood pressure.

• Blood transfusions:  Blood is drawn from donors and used in transfusions for people who need blood replacements due to accidents, surgeries, or illnesses.

• Therapeutic phlebotomy:  In some cases, removing blood itself can be a treatment. This is used for certain blood disorders like hemochromatosis (excess iron in the blood).