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NHS To Give Volunteers "Synthetic Blood" Made In a Laboratory Within Two Years
schwit1 writes: The NHS plans to test artificial blood made from human stem cells in patients and hopes to start transfusing people with artificial blood by 2017. The trials will take place in Cambridge and If successful could lead to the mass production of artificial blood. The Independent reports: "A long-awaited clinical trial of artificial red blood cells will occur before 2017, NHS scientists said. The blood is made from stem cells extracted from either the umbilical cord blood of newborn babies or the blood of adult donors. The trial, thought to be a world first, will involve small transfusions of a few teaspoons of synthetic blood to test for any adverse reactions. It will allow scientists to study the time the manufactured red blood cells can survive within human recipients. Eventually, it is hoped that the NHS will be able to make unlimited quantities of red blood cells for emergency transfusions."
If this actually works, it will completely change the world.
Blood shortages are a huge issue in the medical world. And considerably more so for rarer blood types.
If this works, it will lead the way to making blood no more of an issue than giving someone a standard saline drip.
Eventually it might even pave the way to universal synth blood, or smart blood that targets the host and erodes the unneeded targets for other blood types.
Of course, let's face it, something will go wrong.
Either it will be toxic or zombies. Or super cancer. Even though it can't cause cancer. But nature finds a way to screw us.
Good luck to the researches and vic--- patients.
1) All blood used in the UK is extensively screened before use
Until something comes along that isn't screened for. HIV comes to mind.