Blood donor hope on cells grown in lab

RED blood cells grown in a laboratory have been transfused into two patients in a world-first clinical trial.

The cells, which take three weeks to create, could be a lifeline for people with advanced cancer or sickle cell disease.

Because they require regular transfusions from many donors, they are more likely to have a reaction to one of them which could make them intolerant to transfusions from all blood in that group.

Dr Farrukh Shah, of NHS Blood and Transplant, said: ‘The need for normal blood donations to provide the vast majority of blood will remain. But the potential for this work to benefit hard to transfuse patients is very significant.’

Next, researchers will test whether the lab-grown red blood cells, created using the stem cells from regular donated blood, last longer in the body after transfusions than standard donated blood, which would mean people need fewer transfusions.