The provision of safe blood--policy issues in the prevention of human immunodeficiency virus transmission.

The AIDS epidemic has focused attention on the constraints and deficiencies present in many blood transfusion services in the developing world. We discuss a variety of options for reducing transfusion-related HIV transmission, and suggest how new transfusion strategies may be implemented. We show that a transfusion service cannot rely solely on the screening of donor blood for anti-HIV antibodies and that a more comprehensive approach is needed. Important components of this approach include donor selection and improved clinical practice, in which blood and blood products are prescribed only when really necessary.