Thursday 28 January 2010

True Blood questions

Having watched True Blood, both seasons pretty much back to back, I was left with a question or two about the "TruBlood" (artificial blood substitute) product featured in the show. First, was it a product of medical research, or was it designed specifically as an alternate food source for vampires? Personally, it makes more sense to me if the former is true. In that case, it wouldn't have been packaged in bottles until after vampires came out in public.

Next, why is it available in all human blood type varieties, rather than just O-negative? If it's the result of medical research, it would make more sense only to make O-negative rather than all varieties, since it's the universal donor. The varieties make more sense if it were made directly for vampires, but then I'd expect it to taste a bit better to them.

Mokalus of Borg

PS - I realise it's just fiction.
PPS - I'm just trying to fill in the blanks and make sure it's internally consistent.

5 comments:

Erin Marie said...

Actually, while o- type blood is known as the 'universal donor', research suggests that using this type of blood to transfuse patients with rare blood types (eg. AB-) can cause serious immune complications.

It seems to me then, that if the blood was made for medical purposes, it makes sense to make it in the different types to minimise such occurrences.

John said...

Interesting. I didn't know that. So I guess that part makes sense too.

Erin Marie said...

I only know it because I am in the 0.7% of the population with the rarest blood type. It's something that I need to know in the event that I ever require a transfusion.

And also, because I'm a vampire.

John said...

I'm guessing vampires don't take their transfusions intravenously. ;)

How do you tell doctors about your blood type if you come in unconscious and they need to transfuse you quickly before they find out who you are?

Erin Marie said...

Well, I don't. It's in my purse though.

I also have to get a medic alert bracelet (for the crazy), so it will be on that as well.