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Getting the latest healthcare news for you
A new Lancet review raises the possibility that amyloid-beta — the protein linked to Alzheimer's disease — could be transmitted through blood transfusions. Researchers say the risk is currently undefined but point to a large Scandinavian study and prior cases of iatrogenic transmission as cause for concern. More research and better screening tools are urgently needed before any firm conclusions can be drawn.
A new Lancet Viewpoint article is raising important questions in the neurology and blood safety communities: could blood transfusions transmit amyloid-beta, the protein closely associated with Alzheimer's disease and cerebral amyloid angiopathy (CAA)? Researchers led by John Collinge, MD, of University College London, reviewed existing evidence and concluded that while the risk is currently undefined, it is a legitimate scientific concern that warrants urgent investigation.
The concern is grounded in prior findings. A 2023 retrospective study of over 1 million patients in Sweden and Denmark found that recipients of red blood cell transfusions from donors who later suffered multiple intracerebral hemorrhages (ICH) had a significantly elevated risk of ICH themselves — a pattern the authors describe as consistent with the transfer of amyloid-beta "seeds." Prior research has also documented amyloid-beta transmission through cadaver-derived growth hormone and dura mater grafts.
Key Takeaways:
Why it matters: If amyloid-beta can be transmitted via blood products, it could have significant implications for blood donation safety protocols and Alzheimer's prevention strategies — making this a research priority of both national and global importance.
