The increasing possibility of using many forms of bodily material to benefit others in medical treatment and research has brought about a constant pressure within the UK to meet demand. There is a continual need to recruit new blood donors in order to maintain an adequate supply of blood; three people die every day while waiting for an organ transplant; many fertility clinics are not able to meet requests for treatment involving donor eggs or sperm; and research organisations cite difficulties in accessing bodily material as a key factor limiting research progress. Shortages of supply may affect particular subgroups.
