Medicine, money, and myth: an epic history of blood

Starr, Douglas

doi:10.1046/j.1365-3148.2001.00295.x

Cited by 20 publications

(6 citation statements)

References 23 publications

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“…In addition, concerns remain about risks to patients from pathogens that are unknown or not typically screened for (Allen-Vercoe et al, 2012). The crisis of HIV and hepatitis blood contamination in the 1980s resulted in the blood donation and transfusion establishments of several nations being accused of complacency, cover-ups, and neglect (Starr, 2001). Rabinow (1999) argued that the crisis of blood contamination in France brought to public attention the tensions and doubts of the blood system's legitimate status as a benevolent and altruistic gift system, which has been defended by Richard Titmuss (1970) in his well-known book The Gift Relationship: From Human Blood to Social Policy.…”

Section: Fecal Transplants As Treatment For Recurrent CDImentioning

confidence: 99%

“…A Hamilton Spectator news report quotes Dr. Mike Silverman, an infectious disease specialist reported to have performed nine successful fecal transplants, as saying that "he won't do the transplants in his office for practical purposes-he would have to stop seeing his other patients in that room so it could be properly sanitized" (September 18, 2008, "Messy, Disgusting and a Lifeline"). The idea that fecal transplants involve the transference of an unsanitary waste product contrasts with the symbolic value of being a benevolent and altruistic "gift of life" that has been associated with blood and organs to increase public awareness and acceptance of donation (Gerrard, 1994;Sque, Payne, & Clark, 2006;Starr, 2001). As indicated in the headline of the Hamilton Spectator news report, though there is a parallel construction of fecal transplants as a "lifeline," albeit one that is "messy" and "disgusting," the symbolic value of being an altruistic gift is not explicitly attached to the donation of and treatment with feces.…”

Section: A Disgusting But Necessary Last-resort Treatmentmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Media Discourse on the Social Acceptability of Fecal Transplants

2015

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Advances in human microbiome research have generated considerable interest in elucidating the role of bacteria in health and the application of microbial ecosystem therapies and probiotics. Fecal transplants involve the introduction of gut microbes from a healthy donor's stool to the patient and have been documented as effective for treating Clostridium difficile infections (CDIs) and some other gastrointestinal disorders. However, the treatment has encountered regulatory hurdles preventing widespread uptake. We examined dominant representations of fecal transplants in Canadian media and found that fecal transplants are often represented as being inherently disgusting or distasteful (the "ick factor"). This "ick factor" is used to construct different messages about the treatment's social acceptability and legitimacy. We conclude that an over-emphasis on the "ick factor" constrains public discourse from a more nuanced discussion of the social challenges, scientific concerns, and regulatory issues surrounding the treatment.

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Section: Fecal Transplants As Treatment For Recurrent CDImentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: A Disgusting But Necessary Last-resort Treatmentmentioning

confidence: 99%

Media Discourse on the Social Acceptability of Fecal Transplants

2015

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“…The general infection risk is higher (up to 2%) in low-income countries [14]. In particular, the measures implemented after the HIV crisis in the 1980s [15] made blood products very safe in terms of contamination. In addition to the risk of infection, the storage conditions of blood units are another important aspect to consider.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Big Data in Transfusion Medicine and Artificial Intelligence Analysis for Red Blood Cell Quality Control

Lopes¹,

Recktenwald²,

Simionato³

et al. 2023

Transfus Med Hemother

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Background: “Artificial intelligence” and “big data” increasingly take the step from just being interesting concepts to being relevant or even part of our lives. This general statement holds also true for transfusion medicine. Besides all advancements in transfusion medicine, there is not yet an established red blood cell quality measure, which is generally applied. Summary: We highlight the usefulness of big data in transfusion medicine. Furthermore, we emphasize in the example of quality control of red blood cell units the application of artificial intelligence. Key Messages: A variety of concepts making use of big data and artificial intelligence are readily available but still await to be implemented into any clinical routine. For the quality control of red blood cell units, clinical validation is still required.

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“…The use of blood in medical practice has undergone a full swing from a very early rigorous practice of “bloodletting or draining” as a means of curing diseases to the widespread practice of blood transfusion that became popular during the Second World War 2829. The discovery of blood group, advances in grouping and crossmatching, establishment of blood banks, and advances in blood preservation all helped to make blood transfusion safer and attractive 28.…”

Section: The Evolution Of Bloodless Surgerymentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The discovery of blood group, advances in grouping and crossmatching, establishment of blood banks, and advances in blood preservation all helped to make blood transfusion safer and attractive 28. The Second World War further created extraordinary demand for blood transfusion and as such, provided enormous stimuli for the rapid development of transfusion services 2829. It was during this period that blood banks were developed.…”

Section: The Evolution Of Bloodless Surgerymentioning

confidence: 99%

Evolution of bloodless surgery: A case for bloodless suprapubic prostatectomy

Okorie

Pisters

2019

Niger Med J

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Allogeneic blood transfusion is commonly prescribed to patients undergoing suprapubic prostatectomy for benign prostatic hyperplasia as a treatment option to replace blood loss. Historically, suprapubic prostatectomy has been perceived as an extremely high hemorrhagic surgery, and this has led to the association of suprapubic prostatectomy with a high rate of allogeneic blood transfusion. However, the outcome of suprapubic prostatectomy has significantly improved over the years and has become less hemorrhagic in many hands – creating the opportunity to consistently avoid allogeneic blood transfusion. On the other hand, the efficacy of blood transfusion has come under more stringent scrutiny as many clinical studies have reported inconsistent effects of blood transfusion on patient outcome. In contemporary practice, a more conservative/bloodless approach in the perioperative management of anemia in surgical patients is strongly being advocated with convincing evidence that many surgical patients can be routinely and safely managed without allogeneic blood transfusion. There is no large-scale discussion on bloodless surgery in urology in the contemporary literature, especially in the area of suprapubic prostatectomy that has been historically associated with a high rate of blood transfusion. This review article will discuss the evolution of bloodless surgery including the ongoing controversies surrounding blood transfusion in general, and then the relatively small but ongoing penetration of bloodless surgical approach in the field of suprapubic prostatectomy. Furthermore, the authors' approach to bloodless suprapubic prostatectomy will be highlighted, and in doing so, it can be emphasized that suprapubic prostatectomy is no more as hemorrhagic as was historically perceived, but rather a routine bloodless suprapubic prostatectomy is now possible in many hands.

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Medicine, money, and myth: an epic history of blood

Cited by 20 publications

References 23 publications

Media Discourse on the Social Acceptability of Fecal Transplants

Media Discourse on the Social Acceptability of Fecal Transplants

Big Data in Transfusion Medicine and Artificial Intelligence Analysis for Red Blood Cell Quality Control

Evolution of bloodless surgery: A case for bloodless suprapubic prostatectomy

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