Patient recruitment to the NHSBT-led SWIFT trial finishes three months ahead of schedule

Dr Laura Green from NHSBT standing at London Air Ambulance helipad Great news – we’ve now finished patient recruitment to the SWIFT trial three months ahead of schedule, thanks to the great support of partners including Air Ambulances and hospitals around the country.

The trial is examining whether transfusing ‘whole blood’ – which is blood as it comes from the donor, with plasma, red cells and platelets - is a better treatment for severely injured patients at risk of bleeding to death than separate transfusions.

The trial is led by NHS Blood and Transplant and involves 10 air ambulance charities across the country in partnership with the Ministry of Defence and Air Ambulances UK.

The trial will now move into the analysis phase and if shows patient benefit, it could reduce trauma deaths in civilian accidents and also on the battlefield, and in any situation where delaying a transfusion by seconds or minutes could be critical.

Statement from Professor Laura Green

Professor Laura Green, co-chief investigator for SWIFT and Consultant in Haemostasis and Transfusion Medicine at NHS Blood and Transplant, said:

“The role of air ambulances and transfusion laboratories in hospitals in providing blood components at the scene of an incident is crucial - delivering the most challenging treatments in the most challenging environments.

"We are thankful to be working in partnership with air ambulance organisations and the Defence Medical Services to drive innovation and research for critical patients.

"We are also incredibly grateful to our O Rh negative donors, whose universal donor blood is critical in trauma transfusion - including in this trial.”