Would a randomized 'controlled' prospective clinical study be feasible, or even allowed by an IRB or the Office of Human Research Protections? In reality, the study would simply be massive in order to represent enough clinical patient types, patient age (and other socio-economical) demographics, and stages of blood storage age (perhaps by week, number 1 through 6), among other dependent and independent variables, so proper conclusions could be drawn. My expertise isn't in study design, but I know if you do this study properly, it would be exquisitely expensive in time and money - not to mention the patient approvals - would you sign for yourself or your wife, son, daughter to possibly be the test subject who receives several units of 6 week old blood? I'm not being coy, maybe you would, but lack of participation would dampen the mood of a study very fast. Think about the analogy of participating in a 'taste test study' to determine the proper expiration date of milk. Most people wouldn't sign up to blindly taste milk that could be 2 days old, or perhaps 6 weeks old! Yuck......(it's just an analogy). The science behind expired milk and expired blood isn't the same, but it is quite plausible the average customer views them the same (they are both perishable). Someone mentioned to me the other day the NIH National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute is considering a grant for a study along these lines.
