[How soon will we have artificial blood?]

The development of red cell substitute oxygen-carriers has reached a stage where stroma-free haemoglobin solutions (SFHSs) and perfluorocarbon-based substitutes are undergoing clinical trials. However, there is no evidence to suggest that such products will become available, other than for restricted, well-defined indications. Where SFHSs are concerned, the supply of haemoglobin, the strictly limited shelf-life, and the short intravascular half-life are the most important problems to be solved, whereas the use of perfluorocarbons is limited, in particular due to the need of positive pressure ventilation to maintain high oxygen tension. Red cell substitutes for general use will remain a dream in the foreseeable future. Measures to enhance blood preservation and to promote the optimal use of blood products will be the most important areas of transfusion research in the immediate future.