27 cities seriously injured accident victims could end up up in a medical experiment

[Lisa B]

In 27 cities across the United States, seriously injured accident victims could end up in a medical experiment, without their knowledge or consent.

The experiment involves an artificial blood called Polyheme.

The federal government has given the company that makes it approval to use badly bleeding accident victims as test subjects, without the subjects informed consent.

The only way out is to wear a blue bracelet provided by the company.

The company says it's the only way to test such a product.

But others, including Pastor Paul Burleson of a Denver church alliance, say it turns Americans into human guinea pigs.

"If I'm in accident and I just don't happen to have this particular wristband, that I'd be a guinea pig is unconscionable," he said.

check the abc's 20/20 website for more info on your city.
http://blogs.abcnews.com/theblotter/...cal_blood.html

[FairyMom]

Thats just redicilous. Thankfully they arent doing it in my city but if they were to, I would make damn sure everyone I knew had one of those bracelets.

[Irish]

Glad to see no city in Oregon is among them. I was worried that OHSU might be involved--they're an evil group of people, in the opinions of many Portlandians.

Nice to see that the link to the cities involved also has a link to opt-out info. This needs more attention than it's getting. I hadn't even heard of it.

[svolk]

But how many lives could this potentially save. If someone is profusely hemorrhaging, paramedics usually drip a saline solution in to make up for the loss. This synthetic blood is trying to mimick the oxygen transport that happens with our blood - if they can create a synthetic blood that does this, and is able to be stored for a longer period of time (blood "expires" after 42 days and there are often shortages in certain blood types), is universal, and is not capable of transmitting disease, then it might be worth the risk.

Say the hospital has to first determine the blood type of the patient if that information is unknown at the time of the accident. That test takes time, time in which saline is being infused and valuable time is being lost. Saline does nothing but attempt to buy more time and even that is questionable.

Really how else is this supposed to be tested. If I am profusely hemorrhaging and the outlook appears bleak, I would rather take the risk than have the medics have no other alternative. I would take the Polyheme over the saline solution, which does absolutely nothing.

[Lisa B]

They say how you are chosen is nothing more than a draw of the cards..yep...with each person transported, there is a card assigned per nite. If your card read the magic word, you are going to get the Polyheme.
The scarey thing is that the hospitals that agree to be involved with this experiement, CAN NOT take the Polyheme line out for 12 hours. no matter how Critical you are. You will not recieve real blood, if you need it till after that 12 hour mark is up. It was a contract written up between the Polyheme makers and the hospital.

thats the scarey part.

[Dot]

It is not really given as a substitute for blood. When badly bleeding victims are being transported, they are given a saline solution. As I understand it, the Polyheme would be given as a substitute for the saline solution.

The Polyheme is made from the hemoglobin of blood and allows the transfer of oxygen.

"PolyHeme, made up of blood donated but never used, is compatible with all blood types. It cuts down on blood matching time, which can take up to an hour, Fakhry said. The hemoglobin is taken out of donated blood to make PolyHeme and when given to a trauma patient, it allows oxygen to flow through the body. Trauma patients now are given a saline solution en route to the hospital, “a temporary maneuver that buys time but doesn’t substitute adequately for blood,” Fakhry said, adding 20 percent of patients suffering hemorrhagic shock die."

http://www.fda.gov/ohrms/dockets/doc...2-02-vol47.pdf

[bekfreak]

This stuff seems like it has saved lives though. I'd hate to see what would happen should we have another Katrina or 9/11..Or major Earthquake hit if something like this wasn't being tested out. This stuff could really make a difference to alot of people when blood supplys as we all know are always pretty low.

[Dot]

http://www.fda.gov/ohrms/dockets/doc...-Ctr-vol38.pdf

“No Participation” Study Bracelets

To obtain “No Participation” study bracelets, contact:

Jeffrey Long

Clinical Research Specialist

Denver Health Medical Center

777 Bannock Street

Department of Surgery

Denver, CO 80204

303-436-7906

[Dot]

http://www.fda.gov/ohrms/dockets/doc...-Ctr-vol38.pdf

I am a DNR, so it would not affect me.

Dot

Women who are obviously pregnant

Patients with severe brain injuries

Patients who require CPR to maintain their heartbeat

Patients with “unsurvivable” injuries

Patients who are known to object to blood transfusions

Patients who are known to refuse resuscitation

[Lisa B]

I dont know all the info behind it. I saw it on 20/20 last night and wanted to pass on the info, since I never heard it either.

Dot, I'm glad you posted the info for the bracelets. When asked on 20/20 how many bracelets were asked for, the rep said "none"
this is because the people in the same town as the drug company did not even know what was going on.


I am stuck on the fence, because It could save lives...and my mother when she was my age I am now, had a blood transfusion.(sp) I remember the fear when it was said Aids came from blood transfusions.

On the other hand, patients shouldnt have to walk around wiht a plastic bracelet to say they dont want to be test subjects.

I dont like the fact the dr's dont even like the fact they have to wait 12 hours before they can give real blood if needed. that should be excluded, and then I dont think as many people would have a problem with it.