If you have type O blood, congratulations, you are a universal donor. The bad news is that you can only receive blood from type O donors. This has been an issue since blood was identified as consisting of types A, B, AB, and O by Karl Landsteiner in 1901. Scientists from Japan have announced the success of creating a universal man-made blood type that can not only be donated to everyone but also lasts longer.
The blood, named deoxy-HbV, was developed by scientists from Nara Medical University. The discovery was led by Professor Hiromi Sakai by separating hemoglobin from expired blood. It is then placed in a protective shell to create stable, virus-free, and type-free man-made red blood cells that can be used by all recipients. One unique feature of deoxy-HbV is that it is purple instead of red.
It can also last for two years without refrigeration compared to regular blood, which only lasts for 42 days before expiring. Researchers from Nara Medical University see their invention as suitable for use in natural disaster situations where blood supplies are needed and there is no electricity for refrigerators.
So far, deoxy-HbV has only been tested on animals, with human trials beginning in March this year. Study participants received 100 – 400 mm of deoxy-HbV to see its effects on humans. If the trials go well, deoxy-HbV could be used on a large scale by 2030.
Japan began research into developing artificial blood in 2022 due to a shortage of supplies due to a declining population. Although created for use in Japan, the impact of this artificial blood will be felt worldwide because the issue of blood donor shortages is a universal issue.