 The theory has been rebuffed medically as suggestions that porphyria sufferers crave the haem in human blood , or that the consumption of blood might ease the symptoms of porphyria , are based on a misunderstanding of the disease . Furthermore , Dolphin was noted to have confused fictional ( bloodsucking ) vampires with those of folklore , many of whom were not noted to drink blood . Similarly , a parallel is made between sensitivity to sunlight by sufferers , yet this was associated with fictional and not folkloric vampires . In any case , Dolphin did not go on to publish his work more widely . Despite being dismissed by experts , the link gained media attention and entered popular modern folklore . 
