June 29
Regulatory requirements for transferring crossmatched RBC units between facilities of a healthcare system/healthcare network

June 26
Automatic protocols for dealing with massive transfusion  ADDENDA July 3

June 25
REACTIVATED DISCUSSION: Use of biometrics in blood banking to identify donors and transfusion recipients

Transfusing donor RBC units obtained from individuals whose plasma contains unexpected antibodies

June 24
Is it permissible for Medical Assistants or trained individuals who have been certified as Donor Screeners to read Total Protein levels on donors, provided the personnel are under the direct supervision of a Physician?

June 22
REACTIVATED DISCUSSION: What are the requirements and practices of other blood centers in California for accepting 16-year old donors?

June 20
REACTIVATED DISCUSSION: Is it acceptable practice to transfuse platelets through a rapid flow blood and fluid warming device? A question is posed regarding the use with FFP ADDENDA July 1

June 16
Root Cause Analysis for identified cases of wrong blood in tube (WBIT) ADDENDA June 17

Strategies to minimize the transfusion of two units of RBCs for an anemic but euvolemic non-actively bleeding patient without measuring the patient’s hemoglobin level after giving the first of two units ADDENDA June 19, 20, 22 & 28; July 2

REACTIVATED DISCUSSION: Use of educational materials that include information on the possible effects of blood donation on athletic performance

June 13
REACTIVATED DISCUSSION: Policies for Ensuring An Adequate Supply of O Rh Negative Blood in Emergencies

REACTIVATED DISCUSSION: Should Blood Establishment Computer Software be regulated any differently than the manufacturing software used by drug and medical device companies?

REACTIVATED DISCUSSION: Routine use of newer (fresher) RBC products ADDENDA Mar. 28, 30 & 31; April 4, 15 & 22, May 2, June 2, 13 & 28

June 11
REACTIVATED DISCUSSION: Reconciling conflicting results for Rh typing using different test reagents

REACTIVATED DISCUSSION: Thromboelastography Test - Any Value for Assessing Hemostasis During Surgery?

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July 3
FDA Workshop: Approaches to Reduce Risk of Transfusion Transmitted Babesiosis in the United States. Sept. 12, 2008

West Nile Virus Activity - United States, 2007. MMWR. July 4, 2008 / 57(26);720-723.

Public Health Notification: Life-threatening Complications Associated with Recombinant Human Bone Morphogenetic Protein in Cervical Spine Fusion (FDA/CDRH)

FDA Enforcement Report: July 2, 2008 (FDA/DHHS)

Latest West Nile Virus Activity in California (California WNV Website)

July 2
Medical Device Notification (PSN-08-03) for 5.x and Addendum: Sunquest Laboratory Blood Bank and Blood Donor Modules (FDA/CBER)

June 26
Report: Trends in HIV/AIDS Diagnoses Among Men Who Have Sex with Men — 33 States, 2001-2006. MMWR Weekly. June 27, 2008 / 57(25);681-6.

June 25
Hausfater P et al. Cutaneous Infrared Thermometry for Detecting Febrile Patients. Emerg Infect Dis. 2008 Aug; [Epub ahead of print]

June 20
Lung injuries from transfusions have doctors stumped (Cleveland Plain Dealer)

June 19
2009 National Patient Safety Goals (Joint Commission)

June 13
Public Workshop: Blood Establishment Computer Software. July 10, 2008 (FDA/CBER)

Global News: Warnings over body piercing boom (BBC News, UK)

June 12
Ahead of Print Article: Lockhart PB, et al. Bacteremia Associated With Toothbrushing and Dental Extraction. Circulation. 2008 Jun 9. [Epub ahead of print]

June 11
Dispatch: Roellig DM, et al. Molecular Typing of Trypanosoma cruzi Isolates, United States. Emerg Infect Dis. 2008 Jul; [Epub ahead of print].

Global News: TraQ June Newsletter (Transfusion Quality Management Program Canada) and latest BLOG.

Red Cross Immunohematology Reference Laboratory Conference: April 11-13, 2008 in Scottsdale, AZ. Focus on current serologic, clinical and management issues affecting serologists. Get full conference details.
Practice Guidelines for Blood Transfusion: American Red Cross physicians offer the 2nd edition of this compilation from peer-reviewed literature. Download the Practice Guidelines.
Featured Research: Despite universal bacterial testing of apheresis platelets, a Red Cross study finds that bacterial contamination remains a significant residual risk in transfusion, especially for older platelets collected without a sample first diversion strategy. Read the full article.
Additional Resources: Visit www.redcross.org/hospitals for more information and available resources.