how will it be useful by having artificial blood

Question: how will it be useful by having artificial blood

Asked by jjdj2 to Chris on 16 Mar 2010 in Categories: Theories.
- Chris Cooper answered on 16 Mar 2010:
  
  Three reasons really.
  
  1 The blood supply for transfusion is running out as people get older in the population. Older people are more likely to need to have blood and less likely to be able to donate it.
  
  2 Unlike blood, artificial blood would not need blood group typing and would be long lasting. So it would be great for taking to places (Afghanistan, earthquake disasters) where normal blood was difficult to find.
  
  3 Artificial blood would be guaranteed free of viruses forever. There are new blood viruses discovered every year and there is always a chance they could infect the blood supply (at the mom,ent we are fine though!)

Question: how will it be useful by having artificial blood