According to a recent investigation into the safety of blood transfusions, fourteen Northern California patients have been diagnosed with transfusion-related acute lung injury (TRALI). The study, conducted by Dr. Patricia Kopko of BloodSource in Sacramento, a regional blood center, was published in today's issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association.

TRALI has been linked to an estimated forty-five deaths since 1992. Caused by an immune system reaction to antibodies in a donor's blood, TRALI is considered a leading cause of transfusion-related deaths. According to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), donor antibody testing is not part of routine blood screening procedures.