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How Might Blood Transfusions Change in the Future?

Last Modified Date: February 18, 2024

Last year, UK researchers conducted the first-ever clinical trial in which participants received small transfusions of red blood cells that had been grown from stem cells. The trial appears to have been successful, as the two volunteers did not experience any negative side effects from the lab-grown red blood cells, which are necessary for transporting oxygen from the lungs throughout the body.

Although the vast majority of blood donations will likely continue to originate from blood donors, scientists hope that growing red blood cells in the laboratory will ensure that patients with rare blood types or blood disorders always have access to appropriately-matched blood when they need it. Specifically, the researchers hope the new technology will transform the lives of patients with sickle cell disease and thalassemia, who depend on frequent transfusions.

In a clinical trial, volunteers reported no side effects after receiving transfusions of lab-grown blood made from stem cells.

One of the objectives of the trial was to study the lifespan of lab-grown cells compared with normal blood transfusions. Red blood cells last about 120 days before they need to be replaced. A typical blood donation contains both young and old red blood cells, but lab-grown blood is all fresh. This could mean that patients will require smaller, less frequent transfusions, reducing common complications such as iron overload.

The future of blood donations?

The researchers plan to increase the scale of their study by comparing the lifespan of lab-grown versus normal red blood cells in at least 10 healthy volunteers. The quantity of blood in the mini-transfusions (just 5 to 10 milliliters) is significantly less than in a normal blood transfusion.

The technology will need to be scaled up significantly to make lab-grown blood feasible and cost-effective for regular use in hospitals. A regular blood donation costs the UK's National Health Service (NHS) around £130 ($157 USD), which is far less expensive than producing lab-grown blood.

The groundbreaking research was carried out by scientists from the University of Bristol and the University of Cambridge, in collaboration with NHS (National Health Service) Blood and Transplant.