Human cadaver blood transfusion: perspectives on its utility in conflict zones

Journal article

Abstract:: This is the first study dedicated to discussing perspectives on proposals to transfuse blood from people killed in conflict zones. It attempts to present a rounded picture of why the idea has apparently failed to translate into practice. Drawing on a range of sources, from scientific research on ‘cadaver’ blood transfusions to discussions around planning for mass casualty events, the article shows how professional interest in the transfusion possibilities of blood taken from the battlefield dead evolved from Soviet research in the 1930s, spread internationally and endured after the Second World War. It then demonstrates that a range of issues, from taboos to practicability, require consideration if past challenges to utility are to be reliably understood. It notes, too, that some early obstacles may, today, be outdated.

Files:: Bailey_2024_Human_cadaver_blood.pdf

(Preview, Version of record, pdf, 1.3MB, Terms of use)

Language:: English
Keywords:: blood procurement

blood donation

transfusion medicine

emergency medicine

bioethics
Pubs id:: 2078510
Local pid:: pubs:2078510
Deposit date:: 2025-03-01
ARK identifier:: ark:/29072/ora_81578100775149a196bcd2d6cc335b14

Copyright holder:: Roderick Bailey
Rights statement:: © The Authors, published by Manchester University Press. This is an Open Access article published under the conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives licence.

If you are the owner of this record, you can report an update to it here: Report update to this record