Potential clinical applications for blood substitutes.

In the coming decade, it is likely that oxygen-carrying alternatives to red blood cells will become available for clinical use. The driving force behind their development is the risk of transfusion of homologous blood, which includes transmission of viral disease (HIV and hepatitis) and transfusion reactions as well as the expense of collecting and storing human blood. A number of clinical applications for these products can be anticipated now, but when available, it is likely that the list will grow. How widely these products will be used depends on their safety. In addition to these clinical applications, blood substitutes will be useful in furthering our understanding of basic oxygen transport physiology.