AABB will host an audioconference next week that will provide an overview of basic platelet antibodies, including allo-, auto -More- 

ASSISTANT MEDICAL DIRECTOR
Blood Centers of the Pacific

Like all [disenfranchised] classes, they begun by asking to have certain wrongs redressed, and not by asserting their own rig -More- 

How are you documenting the historical record check when a sample arrives in your blood bank? EOC required includes "records of historical checks". We are using HCLL, and the system functionality allows us "to compare ABO,Rh and antibody screen results against previous results to detect discrepancies and identify patients requiring special units".

When I called CAP about this regulation, and even explained the safeguards and features of HCLL they said they require documentation that someone physically viewed the required information. They suggested we add a patient comment that a history check was completed for each new sample received.

This really appears to be duplication of work, but is there any other choice?

After reading a thread re:WAAs and the use of PEG for autoadsorptions our lab here is considering adopting this method. It will however lead us to use much higher volumes of PEG which we are now purchasing by a manufacturer.

Do any of you all make your own 20% PEG solution? If so,
your recipe and recommended expiry date would be much appreciated.

My presumption is that the QC would be similar to what the package insert for the
commerically prepared solutions would be.

With the exception that 4 drops be used in lieu of two.

Any and all response will be greatly welcomed.

Just curious what expirations are being assigned to RBC syringes prepared for neonatal transfusion? 4 hrs or 6 hrs? What is the reference to the required expiration?
Per current technical manual (16th ed), p. 294:
"Cellular components stored in syringes have an expiration of 4 hours..."
(I don't think this is only referring to platelets in this context)
Also per technical manual, p. 216:
" The syringe can be attached to an auto-syringe infusion pump to complete the transfusion within 6 hours of filling the syringe".

What are people using....and what reference is cited for the reason? Just curious.

If a physician from the ED or surgery orders Rh Immune Globulin for a patient who has either miscarried, is spotting or post D & C, do you repeat the blood type on the patient even if you have a historical type? We currently require an ABO and Rh type plus the antibody screen if we don't already have one performed at the beginning of this pregnancy. The OB physicians are saying if this happened in their office they would just issue the RhIG without any testing. I would appreciate it if you would share your policies. Thanks.

In this three-part Need to Know series, medical reporter Dr. Emily Senay and others look at the state of the U.S.  -More- 

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Health officials are aiming to get more Americans vaccinated this year with the flu shot, which includes the H1N1 flu strain. -More- 

Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville, Fla., has released a statement saying that three transplant patients who underwent invasive proc -More- 

California's Fresno County reports that it has verified eight cases of human West Nile virus infection so far this year, with -More- 

Ranbaxy Laboratories' investigational malaria drug arterolane eliminated the disease in 72% patients in a span of 28 days, a  -More- 

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Cerus announced it will reclaim the marketing rights for its Intercept red blood cell system in an agreement worth about $3.6 -More- 

Isotechnika Pharma and 3SBio are collaborating to develop and market voclosporin, an organ-transplant drug.  -More- 

Merck & Co.  -More- 

The Justice Department announced that it would file an appeal against Judge Royce Lamberth's decision imposing a preliminary  -More- 

The NIH is looking to contract firms that will provide the federal government with IT services under a proposed $40 billion g -More- 

The AABB elections opened earlier this month, and members are encouraged to vote for their chosen candidates for the three op -More- 

ASSISTANT MEDICAL DIRECTOR
Blood Centers of the Pacific

Accept the challenges so that you may feel the exhilaration of victory. -More- 

Hi all,

I just want to share an interesting article about temperature map reading and how to meet MHRA requirements when selecting one supplier.

It is available online at this address:

http://www.samedanltd.com/magazine/1...5/article/2727

Benoît

Hi all, we've purchased a new freezer for our plasma and cryo, and I've been trying to find out what we need to do to validate the temperature is accurately recording before moving product into the freezer. We compared the digital readout, chart recorder and an NIST thermometer for 24 hours and noticed +/- 10 degree differences at times between the three. I'm interested in what you do in your facility or any advice you have. Thanks!