Open AccessBlood, ideology, science and the birth of the ISBT
Author(s) -
Heier Hans Erik
Publication year - 2020
Publication title -
isbt science series
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 1751-2824
pISSN - 1751-2816
DOI - 10.1111/voxs.12539
Subject(s) - ideology , world war ii , nazism , political science , law , social science , sociology , medicine , environmental ethics , politics , philosophy
The ISBT / SITS was founded at the second international congress of blood transfusion in Paris in 1937. The world was influenced heavily by totalitarian ideologies, which a.o. tried to use science to confirm their superiority. The Nazi ideology was built on peculiar speculations on human blood, race and heritage, but although similar ideas were widespread, our society was founded as a purely scientific organization independent of ideological influence. The designation ‘International’ initially signified ‘European’, but after the end of World War 2, our society has become more and more of a global one.