The sequel ‘Skull Measuring for beginners’ is scheduled for 2025.
a list of factors that CAN cause poor outcomes and fatalities in blood transfusions:
being crossmatched with the wrong A/B/O, RhD/rhesus, or HLA group
Blood that isn’t properly screened for blood borne disease, increasing the risk of transmission of HepC, vCJD, and HIV/AIDs
massive transfusion protocols, which have been associated with a minor increased risk in hemolytic transfusion reactions, air embolism, hyper- and hypo- kalemia (blood potassium), magnesia (blood magnesium), and calcemia (blood calcium)
Improper storage of blood and blood products like plasma/FFP and platelets
A list of factors that there have no substantial scientific proof of being linked with poor outcomes and fatalities in blood transfusion:
the sex of the donor
Currently, in the UK, there via a shortage of blood donors; in particular donors from Afro-Carribean backgrounds, whose blood is more likely to be a HLA match for transfusions for sickle cell anaemia and beta thalassaemia sufferers.
I guarantee you that if you’ve gone into haemorrhagic shock, or are at risk of sickle cell crisis, the absolute last thing you’re going to be thinking about is the sex of your donor, because without blood — no matter who donated it — you’re going to die.
Blood transfusions save lives — no matter the donor’s sex — to say that donor sex is related to adverse outcomes is at best, blatant misinformation with limited if any scientific backing, and at worst, modern day phrenology that’s playing dice with people’s lives.
(The data Rowling uses comes from 3 trials, all of which agree that a. further studies with wider sample sizes are needed, and b. the cause is likely due to an immunological factor rather than anything to do with endocrinology. Also, bias of interpretation is A Thing, folks.)
