text: Especially is this the case when one is in an auto accident, has major surgery where significant blood is lost, cancer treatments, anemia and a host of many other legitimate reasons. The benefits simply outweigh the risks.
  
  
  
  "4.5 million: the number of American lives saved each year by blood transfusions."
  
  
  
  If in just just the U.S. alone, 5 million people receive transfusions EACH YEAR, how many around the world do you think receive them each year? then wouldn't you say the risks involved are very minor when compared with the risks of death from no transfusion at all?
  
  
  
  Tens of millions of people, or more, receive blood transfusions each year, worldwide. This means that tens of millions of lives may be saved each year. Even if only one million people's lives are actually saved (though the numbers are clearly higher) losing one percent, or even five percent to the negative side-effects involved is still some pretty good numbers overall.