Customer Reviews

Bad Blood

5 star:		(10)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(4)

 

 

The blood crisis information is informative and useful, yet no President of the American Red Cross is evaluated extensively with exception of Elizabeth Dole, whose tenure began after the major problems were full-blown. About 75% of the impact is against Mrs. Dole, her motivations, style and political aims, thereby raising questions about the true objective of the book. Also, one would expect that the name of the founder of the International Red Cross, Henri Dunant, would not be given incorrectly as "Henry Dumond." This is comparable to calling George Washington "George Wallington," and makes one wonder about other possible , and more serious, inaccuracies not so easily detected by the reader.

At this point when we are looking to a new century, isn't it time to dispense with illusions? This book asks us to set aside our need to glorify an institution, to really evaluate it in terms of its actions, and to make our own judgement call.Based on the facts not on the myths. It is a courageous thing to ask us to do.

The author concludes that because Red Cross makes a LOT of money on blood and because a terrible thing - AIDS- happened to patients, then the Red Cross must have profited from these terrible things. Well, that may be true (and there are Red Cross employees who did jail time in Canada, France, Japan, etc. to suggest there is something to that) but there are no facts here to support the connection. There has been no investigative journalism done here. This approach will appeal to conspiracy theorists, but for a well-researched history that comes alive, and for supported facts, you'd be much better off with BLOOD: an epic history by Douglas Starr, ISBN 0688176496

Ms. Reitman should be commended for her courage in bringing to light an unforgiveable human tragedy. In other countries those in charge of the Red Cross blood program would have been jailed for their callous disregard of human life. With warnings and red flags galore, instead of admitting there was a terrible problem with the blood supply, the Red Cross blood program officials calculatedly chose to proceed with the status quo. Their actions cost the lives of the very people whom the Red Cross was established to help.

The results of their actions are ongoing and still affect the lives of people who trusted them. The FDA has been attempting for years to force the Red Cross blood program into compliance with safe blood practices and yet, with coffers overflowing, the Red Cross is claiming any penalties will jeopardize their very existence. How can they, in good conscience and with mounting evidence against them, still refuse to accept responsibility for the tragedy they knowingly caused.

This book is a good lesson for us all. Trusting an organization based solely on reputation and its self promotion opens the door to abuse.

My heartfelt sympathies go out to all the victims of the Red Cross blood program's deceit....the victims....those who received the tainted blood products as well as to those in the medical field who were unknowingly made accomplices as they transfused and administered those blood products in an attempt to save lives. How awful they must now feel.

I am the grandson of Robert Duane Jones. My grandfather received blood tainted with HIV and Hepatitis in the winter of 1989 from the bloodbank in Portland Oregon. He struggled on for more than a decade with this terrible disease, finally to succomb to it in January of 2002.

Grandpa made national headlines when he and my grandmother sued the Portland Division of the Red Cross in the nineties, which helped to bring about many of the changes that we see today. It was not that the Red Cross is a bad organization, it is that the Red Cross was never before held responsible or accountable for any of it's actions. This book helps to show, like any other book of its nature, the truth about an organization. I still continue to donate blood, and I donate to the Red Cross. The organization does great things around the world, but this book helps us to realize that all things may not be what they appear. Anyone interested in the history of HIV and transfusions should definately read this book, but like anything, you have too look at the whole picture and realize that no organization is without faults.

This book is an example of poor jounalism that creates a satire of life. This book only critises the American Red Cross, with poor reinforcement with data. It almost seems that the author just critises this organization for the heck of it. It conveys a terrible message to the public, scaring them no to "Give blood". To my knowledge, other blood banks too, have the same problem with testing, etc. at the time, but the American Red Cross, in this case, is targeted because it is the largest blood bank in the US. Is it right to direct all this attention when the author should have done a "big picture" approach rather than using the American Red Cross as a focal point?

Even as time passes when I read the stories of the people who opened their hearts to me, who told me their heartwrenching stories, I feel both honored and sad...and angry. Honored by their trust, sad that they suffered, angry that the ARC was never held accountable for knowingly issuing contaminated blood. Thank you to the readers who shared their thoughts about my book.

Please please please PLEASE *don't* let this book make you think donating blood to the Red Cross is a bad idea. For one thing, the blood screening process has changed dramatically since the events detailed in the book. For another thing, every blood donation place--whether the Red Cross or a local hospital--must now follow strictly enforced FDA guidelines.

PLEASE don't think you're doing a noble thing by not donating your blood. Someone needs it badly.

Judith Reitman obviously put a lot of work and research into writing this book. All of the information provided is well researched and documented. I would recommend this book to anyone, because it warns us not only about the Red Cross, but it makes us aware about how other non-profit organizations can cut corners to save money as well. It also makes us realize that there are a lot of changes that need to be made to regulate organizations and businesses of any kind for the protection of all of us. I don't think people realize how much one decision can impact other people's lives. Reitman provides a lot of examples in the form of true stories which really makes this book that much more interesting.

Unfortunately, anyone is allowed to write a book about anything. It's unfortunate the author did not present the facts as facts. I think this book should be placed in the fiction category. As a consumer, I think we have the right to know...the truth. It's obvious the author did not thoroughly investigate blood banking & Red Cross, but had her negative idea in mind before putting pen to paper (or fingers to keyboard).

I didn't understand the author's purpose. This book doesn't hurt Red Cross, it hurts the patients awaiting and needing blood transfusions. Did she want people to stop donating with Red Cross? Did she want people to stop receiving "the gift of life" because it comes from Red Cross? My life might depend on someone's "gift" I'm not asking questions...I'm taking it to save my life...and giving it for others.