Blood control

Blood control was a method of controlling beings via their blood type.

The Sycorax used blood control against one-third the population of 2008 Earth. They captured the Earth probe Guinevere One, which carried a sample of A-positive human blood. They inserted the sample into a control matrix, which sent out signals that had to be obeyed by all those with that blood type. In this way, they were able to make all the people on Earth with A-positive blood stand on top of roofs, apparently ready to jump to their deaths.

On this occasion, the Doctor called blood control a "cheap bit of Voodoo", and likened it to hypnosis. Blood control, he said, could not overcome the basic human survival instinct. Although Earth's A-positive population might have appeared to have been in danger of jumping off roofs, in truth blood control was not strong enough to have actually made them jump.

The Doctor further stated that he hadn't "seen blood control for years". (DW: The Christmas Invasion)