Fresh frozen plasma: the most commonly prescribed hemostatic agent

Although fresh frozen plasma (FFP) is one of the most commonly prescribed therapies in clinical practice throughout the world today, there is little medical evidence available supporting its use. Recent guidelines have called for limiting FFP transfusions. Despite this, FFP use does not seem to be decreasing. The reasons for this are likely to be multifactorial, and may be based on ideas regarding medical practices dating back to Galen and Hippocrates. A review of the history of the development of FFP may shed some light on current clinical practice and guide the direction of future investigations and therapies.