Blood transfusions have become a common part of medical care with nearly 5 million Americans a year receiving a transfusion. Blood transfusions are used in the treatment of many different conditions, from replacing blood lost in surgeries or injuries to fighting diseases like liver disease, anemia, and bleeding disorders like hemophilia (Nglbi.nih.gov, 2014). Blood collection and transfusion are overseen by many different agencies including the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Through these agencies work in donor screening and surveillance, blood transfusions usually cause no adverse reactions in the recipient and are considered a safe medical procedure. Despite this, blood safety remains an important public health matter both due to the seriousness of some adverse reactions when they do occur and the need for preparedness in reacting to future blood safety issues that can suddenly arise when new bloodborne diseases emerge. It is for these reasons that Healthy People 2020 has made reducing the proportion of averse reactions from the medical use of blood and blood products one of their objectives.
There are several different kinds of adverse reactions associated with blood transfusions. While the 2011 National Blood Collection and Utilization Survey from the HHS showed a 0.24% adverse reaction rate from blood transfusions, the participation in the hemovigilance network is low and so they expect the rate of adverse reactions is higher than what they are able to report (NBCUS, 2011). The CDC has established a hemovigilance module to track adverse reactions to blood transfusions for the purpose of understanding the rea...
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... that donor’s blood will be transfused. Epidemiologists need to work fast to identify the disease and take measures to combat repeated transmissions through infusions.
Blood safety is an important issue. People end up needing blood transfusions for many reasons that all mean they have already entered the medical system needing care for injuries or disease, yet there is a risk that their treatment can hurt or even kill them. Public health has made tremendous strides in blood safety over the past few decades, but there is still more that needs to be done. Because of how broad the donation system is, individual treatment of these adverse reactions is not a good preventative measure and instead this must be seen as a public health issue. Increased reporting, studies, and analysis should be done to decrease the number of adverse reactions to blood and blood products.
Bad Blood: A Cautionary Tale focuses on the lives of many hemophilic patients and their journey to seek medical treatment which eventually led to exposure to hepatitis and AIDS for as many at 95% of the hemophilic community. The documentary focuses on the creation and consequences of a medication known as “factor 8”, which was used to stop bleeding in patients with hemophilia. The documentary exposes pharmaceutical companies and the fact that they were using contaminated blood to create such medications. These pharmaceutical companies were using unconventional methods of obtaining blood with the addition of not testing the blood for any diseases as they were looking to fulfill the large demand of the drug in the United States and many countries around the world. The film focuses on exposing the problem of the lack of governmental regulations to protect patients against the pharmaceutical companies in the United States, especially the hemophilic community. Patients with hemophilia had access to medication that would control their disease, however, that treatment was contaminated and would eventually cost them their lives. The film has one goal and that is to expose one of the worse outbreaks of diseases in the United States. It achieves its goal by putting emphasis on the fact that many lives could have been saved if someone had listened and stopped the pharmaceutical companies who were looking to make a profit out of their newly created “miracle”
Specific Purpose Statement: To persuade my audience to donate blood through the American Red Cross.
On the 1950’s, the above statement drove the medical field insane, many doctors used to forced blood transfusion on Jehovah’s Witness and other doctors refused to provide treatment to those who refuse blood transfusion; even in a life threatening situation. For some time, doctors were put on a bad position, they faced a dilemma when caring for a Jehovah’s Witness patient because if a patient (Jehovah’s Witness) was not treated promptly must likely he/she would die, but if they were threated against his or her wishes with blood transfusions, the doctor was charged with “Assault”. As the time went-on, the blood transfusion topic became more controversial, mainly due to the increase number on cases of Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) and Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS) acquired when used contaminated blood. The Scientifics, along with the medical field were forced to work together with Jehovah’s Witness in order to develo...
“A man who has had sex with another man within the last five years, whether oral or anal sex, with or without a condom or other form of protection, is not permitted to donate blood and must please not do so.”
“The science and technology of blood transfusions were also perfected during World War II.” (Science and Technology, 2) ...
Lastly, in spite of significant advances in the diagnosis and treatment of illnesses, quality of patient care is affected when the hospital's treatment team confronts a variety of ethical and medical dilemmas when treating patients with different religions do not accept all types of medical interventions. For example, the population of Jehovah’s Witnesses is approximately eight million worldwide, hence as diversity increases, hospitals will need to understand this religion to provide satisfactory health outcomes. Hospitals need to recognize and understand that Jehovah’s Witnesses refuse blood transfusions based on the bible commandment to “abstain from blood”, where people of this religion do not ingest blood (eating meat with blood in it)
Blood doping could have opposite effect of those intended. A large infusion of red blood cells could increase blood thickness and cause a decrease in cardiac output and a reduction in oxygen content. Both would reduce aerobic capacity. The human heart was not designed to pump thickened blood throughout the body and, therefore, it could lead to a multitude of problems. The diseases that can be contracted from autologous blood transfusion are severe. Even more frightening is the list of diseases that can be contracted through homologous blood transfusion. It includes hepatitis, AIDS, malaria, and CMV. In addition, shock is a factor to be aware of.
Thus, they require clinicians to provide alternatives such as bloodless surgery and using blood conservation techniques in surgery. Doctors and surgeon face challenges as it is very risk and requires high specialization and experience. Moreover, the stand of Jehovah Witnesses puts clinicians in difficult situation as they are mostly forced to choose between their duty to preserve life and respect the patients’ right. This blood transfusion refusal of JW rise a lot of ethical and legal debates regarding the rights of patients to refuse treatment especially in situations that could result in death. Rights of parents to refuse b...
Most of the time, daily pressures and responsibilities force us to overlook how important life is. We rarely take the time to consider the small things that we do for others and how these things can affect someone else life. Having an important effect is human blood it is something that everyone need is order to survive. Blood is something that cannot be produced. However, the
During the series of World War I, there had been problems but people had immediately found a solution. One out of the many solutions had included the struggle to find an antiseptic that worked, and solutions for transportation of injured soldiers. There had been multiple options for the transportation of the injured soldiers and controversy had struck the injured and medical staff. There had been many cases of death happening to soldiers whether it was by diseases or but initiating combat. During major surgeries, like getting bullets out of a limb or abdomen, there had been a series of blood transfusions and a process for those blood transfusions.
Whether it be helping others that need a blood transfusion, or a supplemental source of income, donating plasma is an extravagant process that takes more effort than the normal citizen realizes. Previously I have explained the entirety of the donation procedure, including the waiting room ordeal, the donating, and then the end stages of the process. This information was presented so that others curious about plasma donation can vicariously live the donation process, and get a feel for what really goes on in the Biolife Plasma Center.
By donating blood to insure there is enough in supply, the life we save may be our own.
I have given blood before and I am aware of the questionnaire and procedures used during the blood donation process.
I will be investigating Human Blood as my specific tissue and giving an overview on the location, characteristics, and the benefits it has to the human body. Blood is extracellular matrix that is consists of plasma, red blood cells, platelets, and white blood cells. Blood is located within the capillaries/veins/arteries of the human body, which are blood vessels that run through the entire body. These blood vessels allow the blood to flow smoothly and quickly from the heart to distinct parts of the human body. The unique parts of human blood all work together for a purpose: the Red Blood Cells(erythrocytes) transports oxygen throughout the body, White Blood Cells(leukocytes) play a part in the bodies immune system, Platelets(thrombocytes) assist in creating scabs,
First Aid is the initial care for an illness or injury. First Aid is usually performed in emergency situations by a non-professional person. First Aid can be performed on animals although it is generally meant for the care of humans. Going back to the beginning of the practice of First Aid, it was first practiced by the religious knights in the Eleventh Century. Care was provided to the Pilgrims and Knights as well as training on how to care for common battle wounds. Aid came to a halt during the High Middle Ages and organizations were not seen again until 1859. A few years later, a few nations met in Geneva and formed what we know to be the Red Cross. The main purpose of the Red Cross was to give Aid to the sick and wounded soldiers during battle. In 1878, the formation of St. John Ambulance was put into effect. The ambulance was generally for aid to people in emergencies. Large railway centers, mining districts and police forces were the first to pair with ambulances. Also in 1878 the concept of teaching First Aid to civilians was announced. Surgeon-Major Peter Shepherd and Dr. Coleman performed the first First Aid class with a curriculum that they had formed. First Aid training began to grow in the UK with high risk activities.