Brushing aside fears of mad cow disease, South Africa has become the first country in the world to approve the use of artificial blood for humans whose basis is hemoglobin removed from bovine blood. Hemopure, as it's called, acts like regular red blood cells, carrying oxygen to the body's tissues. The extracted cow hemoglobin has had all its protein removed and been purified, assures the company that will sell it. The blood will be used to treat acute anemia in surgery patients and one of its big selling points is that it's all things to all people: Your blood type is irrelevant. There are the normal side effects associated with any blood transfusion, plus the overwhelming urge to give milk.
Got Blood?
Brushing aside fears of mad cow disease, South Africa has become the first country in the world to approve the use of artificial blood for humans whose basis is hemoglobin removed from bovine blood. Hemopure, as it's called, acts like regular red blood cells, carrying oxygen to the body's tissues. The extracted cow hemoglobin has had all its protein removed and been purified, assures the company that will sell it. The blood will be used to treat acute anemia in surgery patients and one of its big selling points is that it's all things to all people: Your blood type is irrelevant. There are the normal side effects associated with any blood transfusion, plus the overwhelming urge to give milk.
