Every year, public health is threatened by unknown mosquito-borne diseases that tend to be transmitted in the warmest areas of the U.S., including states such as California, Florida, and Texas. Certain mosquito-borne diseases, like Zika, can easily be transmitted via blood transfusion, which is why Dr. Benjamin, chief medical officer of Cerus, has worked with hospital systems and blood centers around the world to reduce the risk of transmission through pathogen reduction, which ensures that hospital patients are receiving clean, disease and virus-free blood.

Not all blood in the U.S. is pathogen reduced, but the FDA has recommended this method as a safety measure. The safety of the blood supply can make or break our healthcare system as we prepare for the next outbreak. Dr. Fauci published a paper recently outlining the importance of understanding and anticipating devastating disease emergencies caused by animal hosts. Today, we talk with the CEO and CMO of Cerus Corporation to understand new technologies for blood sterilization and pathogen-reduction—and the powerful ways they can help prevent or lessen the negative impacts of pandemics.

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The Untold Story of Blood with Richard Benjamin and Obi Greenman of Cerus