Although it is generally accepted that blood has never been safer than today, transfusion-associated side \r\neffects, particularly infective, still occur. Unlike screening strategies, pathogen reduction technologies offer a \r\nnew approach to increase blood safety by actively/directly targeting possible, also emerging pathogens or donor \r\nleukocytes. Advanced technologies for cellular blood products like the psoralen-based INTERCEPT BLOOD \r\nSYSTEM or the riboflavin-based Mirasol pathogen reduction technology system have extensively been examined \r\nand are on the way to enter the blood bank routine. However, as with any medical treatment, the transfusion of \r\npathogen reduced blood products is not completely risk-free. Due to possible impairment of the treated blood cells \r\nthe transfusion success is significantly lower as compared to untreated blood products. Long-term side effects \r\nconcerning the photosensitizers and their photoproducts still remain a matter of debate. This paper outlines \r\ncurrent pathogen reduction technologies but also focuses on ethical concerns associated with the employment \r\nof these techniques.
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