“Overuse of medical technology is a major factor in the increase of current health care expenditures. . . . Blood transfusion is of particular importance because of its cost and high risk potential. Accordingly, blood transfusion was classified by the American Joint Commission on Accreditation of Hospitals as ‘high volume, high risk and error prone.’”—“Transfusion,” July-August 1989.

Dr. Charles Huggins, who is the director of transfusion service at the large Massachusetts General Hospital, made this very clear: “Blood has never been safer. But it must be considered unavoidably non-safe. It is the most dangerous substance we use in medicine.”—The Boston Globe Magazine, February 4, 1990.

With good reason, medical personnel have been advised: “It is necessary to reevaluate as well the risk part of the benefit/risk relationship for blood transfusion and to seek alternatives.” (Italics ours.)—Perioperative Red Cell Transfusion, National Institutes of Health conference, June 27-29, 1988.