Blood transfusion - the value of Research and Development programs

Transfusion is a mixed discipline which includes the production of blood components, applied biology aiming in particular at establishing the highest compatibility for immunological characteristics between blood components to be delivered to patients and recipients, and, finally translational medicine to evaluate the effectiveness of the transfused products and to proactively avoid hazards, at least those that are preventible and con be anticipated. The whole chain takes place with the concern of continuous improvement of quality and safety. These two principles (quality/safety) have been and still are concerns of constant progress applicable to all the transfusion chain steps; they benefit from programs of Research and Development (R&D). Fundamental research, basic but also applied and clinical research, accompanies, in a constantly joint manner, seientific and medical progresses by providing new solutions to dampen the current problems and to prepare the future.