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Is there an impending shortage of anti-HTLV I/II test kits?

A colleague in Saudi Arabia is concerned over a warning that anti-HTLV-I/II test kits might not be available in the near future from one of the major suppliers. He wants to know if this is a worldwide problem or merely an "out of the USA" problem. If this unavailability of test kits affects others, what do those colleagues plan to do?

The following responses have been received.

ADDENDA Feb. 5, 2003

1. A blood banker from a SunBelt state reports that they are constantly having trouble keeping HTLV I/II kits in stock. Their test kit vendor seems to be having difficulty keeping them stocked with an adequate supply. They are constantly being "Back Ordered" or told that they are on allocation.

2. The Saudi Arabian colleague adds that they are being told that the test kit manufacturer has experienced a production problem in that the kits do not pass QC. This should affect deliveries at least for one month. In the meantime they have been furnished with Murex HTLV I/II kits - not FDA approved, but widely used in EU.

Please submit comments to the e-Network Forum.

Ira A. Shulman, MD
CBBS e-Network Forum Editor & Moderator
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Posted: January 29, 2003

Addenda: Feb. 5, 2003

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