Blood Supply and the Red Cross in the Red

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In California, elective surgeries have been postponed. In Arizona, doctors have allocated the same blood for two patients hoping one won't need it. In New York, which relies on blood imported from Europe, concerns about mad cow disease may deplete the supply. Is it necessary and safe to pay the people who donate blood? Can new blood substitutes help ease the shortage? We join doctors, medical advisors and blood bank administrators for a look at America's decreasing blood supply, the Red Cross, and mad cow disease. Newsmaker: Serb General Convicted of Genocide at War Crimes Tribunal - For the first time since World War II, an international tribunal has reached a finding of genocide. Jim Landale, spokesman for the UN International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia, details the landmark decision that sentenced Bosnian Serb General Radislav Krstic to 46 years in prison and its impact on international human rights. Reporter's Notebook: Bush Gets His Way in the House - President Bush has surprised environmentalists and a lot of observers by persuading the House to pass part of his energy plan, oil drilling in the Alaska National Wildlife Refuge. Presidential biographer Robert Dallek allows that Bush may be learning the ropes in Washington, but he's still being plagued by a mediocre approval rating by the general public.
In California, elective surgeries have been postponed. In Arizona, doctors have allocated the same blood for two patients hoping one won't need it. In New York, which relies on blood imported from Europe, concerns about mad cow disease may deplete the supply. Is it necessary and safe to pay the people who donate blood? Can new blood substitutes help ease the shortage? We join doctors, medical advisors and blood bank administrators for a look at America's decreasing blood supply, the Red Cross, and mad cow disease.
  • Newsmaker: Serb General Convicted of Genocide at War Crimes Tribunal - For the first time since World War II, an international tribunal has reached a finding of genocide. Jim Landale, spokesman for the UN International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia, details the landmark decision that sentenced Bosnian Serb General Radislav Krstic to 46 years in prison and its impact on international human rights.
  • Reporter's Notebook: Bush Gets His Way in the House - President Bush has surprised environmentalists and a lot of observers by persuading the House to pass part of his energy plan, oil drilling in the Alaska National Wildlife Refuge. Presidential biographer Robert Dallek allows that Bush may be learning the ropes in Washington, but he's still being plagued by a mediocre approval rating by the general public.

UN International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia

American Association of Blood Banks

American Red Cross

Hemosol / Hemolink

NIH's Department of Transfusion Medicine

Penn's Center for Bioethics

University of Iowa's DeGowin Blood Center

Credits

Host:

Warren Olney