[Safety of transfusion procedures: its various aspects, its various stages]

Despite considerable advances, transfusions still present major immunological and infectious dangers. Immunological accidents can be perfectly prevented by adhering to strict rules as regards the immediate risk, haemolysis, and satisfactorily prevented as regards late allo immunization. Safety concerning the transmission of viral or parasitic diseases is far from being absolute in spite of increasingly sophisticated tests performed on donors. This implies that transfusions should be restricted to clearly defined situations where the potential advantage overrides the risk and where the safest product can be chosen. This type of safety requires high quality blood products reflecting the high level of organization and technique of the Transfusion Centre. Finally, autotransfusion, the rules of which must be well-defined, may be an alternative in certain cases representing up to 10 p. 100 of all transfusions.