A double-blind study to evaluate the safety of recombinant human hemoglobin in surgical patients during general anesthesia.

The authors evaluated the safety profile of escalating doses of rHb1.1 in patients undergoing surgery under general anesthesia. The adverse effects observed (and the authors’ conclusions) are those that one would expect for this type of product. Unfortunately, it appears that we have not yet found the Holy Grail of hemoglobin replacement therapy…

– J.-F. Hardy.