No single alternative to blood transfusions exists for all clinical scenarios; the medical community is working toward blood independence but has not achieved it.

Mike responds to Salvador Torres' question about alternatives to blood transfusions. He notes the variety of clinical situations requiring transfusion (blood disorders, immune problems, trauma, planned surgeries) and that while the medical community wants to become blood-independent due to limited blood supply, that goal has not been achieved. In many scenarios, refusal of transfusion still means death.