A blood component program for the treatment of surgical haemorrhage and its potential for national supplies of albumin and factor VIII.

For medical as well as logistic reasons, the importance of blood component therapy is rapidly increasing. The use of red cell concentrates in conjunction with an appropriate plasma substitute for the treatment of surgical haemorrhage "liberates" substantial quantities of plasma for the fractionation to derivatives, among which albumin and factor VIII are particularly needed. The experience obtained in Berne with the application of this principle is presented and its implications for the coverage of national demands for albumin and factor VIII are discussed.