Application of DNA-based forensic analysis for the detection of homologous transfusion of whole blood and of red blood cell concentrates in doping control

Homologous blood transfusions, a form of “blood doping” in sport, can be detected by forensic genetic techniques based on DNA typing. The proposed procedure, that tested effective also on mixed samples of red blood cell concentrates, allows to correctly identify also those samples that would have given a false-negative result if assayed by the reference cytofluorimetric technique.242