Addressed to the lay person, this book looks at the scientific advancements which are challenging the practice of one of medicine's oldest therapies - blood transfusion. The long and widely accepted notion that donated blood is the "gift of life" has been thrust under the microscope.

Addressed to the lay person, this book looks at the scientific advancements which are challenging the practice of one of medicine's oldest therapies - blood transfusion. The long and widely accepted notion that donated blood is the "gift of life" has been thrust under the microscope. Scientific scrutiny is proving quite conclusively that the old notion is deeply flawed. Indeed, all too often, the "gift of life" has become the "bringer of death". Bold and innovative leaders of "bloodless" or "transfusion free" medicine and surgery are taking definiive steps to replace time-worn medical treatments with safer approaches based on the ever evolving scientific evidence.