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This is not "artificial blood". The researchers took bone marrow stem cells (that go on to make red blood cells, white blood cells, and platelets) and put them in an environment to promote the production of red blood cells and then took those cells and transfused them.
These cells were produced outside of the body and raise the possibility of a self-sustaining red blood cell factory outside the body.
The blood produced by the method still needs to be stored and handled like a normal red blood cell unit that is transfused, so it is unlikely to be of much benefit to those in the field, as the environment needed to sustain this method of generating blood cells is not portable.
This technique does, however help deal with a lot of blood transfusion issues like potential for shortage due to few donors, making sustainable pools of uncommon red blood cell types, etc.
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"The dignity of man is not shattered in a single blow, but slowly softened, bent, and eventually neutered. Men are seldom forced to act, but are constantly restrained from acting. Such power does not destroy outright, but prevents genuine existence. It does not tyrannize immediately, but it dampens, weakens, and ultimately suffocates, until the entire population is reduced to nothing better than a flock of timid, uninspired animals, of which the government is shepherd." - Alexis de Tocqueville
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