Lesson plan
PolyHeme
PolyHeme was a proposed temporary oxygen-carrying blood substitute made from human hemoglobin for emergency treatment of trauma situations where large volumes of blood are lost, with emphasis on situations where fresh blood for transfusion is not readily available. It originally began as a military project following the Vietnam War and was being developed by Northfield Laboratories, Inc. until clinical trial data showed Polyheme patients suffered increased morbidity, suspected as being due to vasoconstrictive side effects. Operations were shut down in 2009.
Article summary
PolyHeme was a proposed temporary oxygen-carrying blood substitute made from human hemoglobin for emergency treatment of trauma situations where large volumes of blood are lost, with emphasis on situations where fresh blood for transfusion is not readily available. It originally began as a military project following the Vietnam War and was being developed by Northfield Laboratories, Inc. until clinical trial data showed Polyheme patients suffered increased morbidity, suspected as being due to vasoconstrictive side effects. Operations were shut down in 2009.
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Discussion questions
- Summarise the article in your own words. Which single claim would you verify first, and why?
- Which claim in this article is most likely to be revised as the sources update? How would you check its current status?
- If two sources disagreed about one of these facts, what would you need in order to trust one over the other?
Bibliography
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Key claims and bibliography are generated from the same tracked claims and sources as the article page.