Thanks to recent progress in biotechnology, surrogacy, transplantation of organs and tissues, blood products or stem-cell and gamete banks are now widely used throughout the world. These techniques improve the health and well-being of some human beings using products or functions that come from the body of others. Growth in demand and absence of an appropriate international legal framework have led to the development of a lucrative global trade in which victims are often people living in insecure conditions who have no other ways to survive than to rent or sell part of their body. This growing market, in which parts of the human body are bought and sold with little respect for the human person, displays a kind of dehumanization that looks like a new form of slavery. This book is the result of a collective and multidisciplinary reflection organized by a group of international researchers working in the field of medicine and social sciences. It helps better understand how the emergence of new health industries may contribute to the development of a global medical tourism. It opens new avenues for reflection on technologies that are based on appropriation of parts of the body of others for health purposes, a type of practice that can be metaphorically compared to cannibalism. Are these the fi rst steps towards a proletariat of men- and women-objects considered as a reservoir of products of human origin needed to improve the health or well-being of the better-off? The book raises the issue of the uncontrolled use of medical advances that can sometimes reach the anticipations of dystopian literature and science fiction.

Get a quick, expert overview of risk management in transfusion medicine from Dr. James Mills Barbeau. This practical resource presents a summary of today’s state-of-the-art techniques for reducing harm during all phases of transfusion practice, including blood collection, testing, processing, clinical assessment, and transfusion. It’s an easy-to-read, one-stop resource for managing and mitigating the various levels of risk in a variety of transfusion settings and scenarios. Presents a well-rounded perspective on quality assurance, blood supply testing, clinical risk, ethical and legal considerations, and transfusion-transmitted infectious diseases. Demonstrates how transfusion risk-management programs add value to health care institutions by enhancing a culture of safety, improving the institution’s reputation, and improving the bottom line. Consolidates today’s available information on risk management in blood transfusion medicine into one convenient resource.

Transfusion Update covers a broad range of topics concerning blood banks and transfusion, including collection and storage, testing and transfusing blood components, and cellular therapies. Comprised of four sections, divided into 81 chapters, the book begins with a section on clinical haemotherapy, which incorporates transfusion in medicine, surgery, maternal foetal and neonatal practice, massive transfusion, platelet therapy and apheresis. Other subsections include information on chronically transfused patients, and intervention bleeding patients. The second section provides information on cellular therapies, including stem cell therapy for a variety of diseases. The third section on blood safety covers important topics such as improving blood donor screening, bacterial detection in blood components, discarding of blood and blood components, and adverse transfusion reactions. The final miscellaneous section includes ethical issues and recent advances in the field of blood transfusion such as gel based technology. Transfusion Update features the latest in evidence-based transfusion medicine, enhanced by 70 illustrations, images and tables throughout. Key Points Comprehensive coverage of topics in transfusion medicine Up-to-date guidance on transfusion procedures, cellular therapies, safety, and discussion on future technologies 70 images, illustrations and tables

With the potential for self-renewal and differentiation, the possibilities for stem cells are enormous. One specific type of stem cell, the hematopoietic progenitor cell (HPC), which is derived from umbilical cord blood (as well as adult bone marrow and mobilized peripheral blood), holds particular promise. To make the most of these HPCs, the Institute of Medicine was asked to consider the optimal structure for a national cord blood program and to address pertinent issues related to maximizing the potential of stem cell technology. Cord Blood: Establishing a National Hematopoietic Stem Cell Bank Program examines: The role of cord blood in stem cell transplantation The current status of blood banks already in existence The optimal structure for the cord blood program The current use and utility of cord blood for stem cell transplants The best way to advance the use of cord blood units and make them available for research Expert advice from leaders in the fields of economics, public health, medicine, and biostatistics combine to make this very timely and topical book useful to a number of stakeholders.