Final answer:
EDTA is the most common anticoagulant used in the hematology laboratory for blood film studies.
Step-by-step explanation:
Anticoagulants, also known as blood thinners, are medications that interfere with the blood clotting process. They are commonly prescribed to reduce the risk of blood clots, which can lead to serious conditions such as deep vein thrombosis (DVT), pulmonary embolism (PE), stroke, and heart attack. Anticoagulants work by inhibiting certain proteins or factors involved in the blood clotting cascade. The most common anticoagulant used in the hematology laboratory for blood film studies is EDTA (a).