The consequences of administering blood pretested for HBs Ag by third generation techniques: a progress report.

Elimination of commercial blood, mandatory HBs Ag testing by third generation techniques, and detection and interdiction of incriminated blood donors have all contributed to a dramatic 63 per cent reduction in the estimated number of cases of transfusion-associated hepatitis from 424 in 1970 to 158 in 1973 and an even more dramatic drop in fatalities from 55 to 1970 to 10 in 1973.