Elimination of blood group antigens: hope and reality

P>In transfusion medicine, three major issues, i.e. heterogeneity of human blood groups, dependence of blood supply on donation, and shortage of some phenotypes, oblige clinicians to juggle with available biological material to avoid or limit post-transfusion reactions. This 'fact of life' has given impetus to a 30-year-old quest to achieve interchangeability of blood products between donors and recipients by eliminating blood group antigens.