Meeting Transfusion Safety Expectations

Editorials4 October 2005Meeting Transfusion Safety ExpectationsJames P. AuBuchon, MDJames P. AuBuchon, MDFrom Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center, Lebanon, NH 03782.Search for more papers by this authorAuthor, Article, and Disclosure Informationhttps://doi.org/10.7326/0003-4819-143-7-200510040-00012 SectionsAboutFull TextPDF ToolsAdd to favoritesDownload CitationsTrack CitationsPermissions ShareFacebookTwitterLinkedInRedditEmail The problem with success is that you've succeeded.—Woody AllenThe public has high expectations for health care services, and this is certainly evident in its attention to virologic transmission risks in the blood supply. The focus of blood collectors, test manufacturers, and regulators on reducing the risk for transmission of HIV and hepatitis C virus (HCV) has resulted in dramatic reductions in these risks during the past 2 decades. However, linear continuation of this effort will result in inadequate attention being paid to problems that have greater impacts on transfusion recipients' morbidity and mortality and missed opportunities for substantial improvements ...References1. Busch MP, Glynn SA, Stramer SL, Strong DM, Caglioti S, Wright DJ, et al. A new strategy for estimating risks of transfusion-transmitted viral infections based on rates of detection of recently infected donors. Transfusion. 2005;45:254-64. [PMID: 15660836] CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar2. Dodd RY, Notari EP, Stramer SL. Current prevalence and incidence of infectious disease markers and estimated window-period risk in the American Red Cross blood donor population. Transfusion. 2002;42:975-9. [PMID: 12385406] CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar3. Jackson BR, Busch MP, Stramer SL, AuBuchon JP. The cost-effectiveness of NAT for HIV, HCV, and HBV in whole-blood donations. Transfusion. 2003;43:721-9. [PMID: 12757522] CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar4. 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[PMID: 15729217] MedlineGoogle Scholar18. Zuck TF. Greetings—a final look back with comments about a policy of a zero-risk blood supply [Editorial]. Transfusion. 1987;27:447-8. [PMID: 3686652] CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar19. Dzik WH. Emily Cooley Lecture 2002: transfusion safety in the hospital. Transfusion. 2003;43:1190-9. [PMID: 12919420] CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar20. AuBuchon JP. Emily Cooley Memorial Award. Managing change to improve transfusion safety. Transfusion. 2004;44:1377-83. CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar Author, Article, and Disclosure InformationAffiliations: From Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center, Lebanon, NH 03782.Disclosures: Consultancies: Baxter Healthcare, Cerus, Chiron Corp., Gambro, BCT, Immunetics, Navigant Biotechnologies, Pall Medical, Verax Biomedical, ZymeQuest; Grants received: Baxter Healthcare, Gambro BCT, Haemonetics, Immunetics, Navigant Biotechnologies, Pall Medical, Terumo, Verax Biomedical, ZymeQuest.Current Author Address: James P. AuBuchon, MD, Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center, One Medical Center Drive, Lebanon, NH 03782; e-mail, james.p.[email protected]org. PreviousarticleNextarticle Advertisement FiguresReferencesRelatedDetailsSee AlsoThe Cost-Effectiveness of Screening the U.S. Blood Supply for West Nile Virus Brian Custer , Michael P. Busch , Anthony A. Marfin , and Lyle R. Petersen Correction: Meeting Transfusion Safety Expectations Metrics Cited byThrombin generation in plasma from patients with cirrhosis supplemented with normal plasma: considerations on the efficacy of treatment with fresh-frozen plasmaOverview of the Flaviviridae With an Emphasis on the Japanese Encephalitis Group VirusesAnaplasma phagocytophilum Transmitted Through Blood Transfusion—Minnesota 2007Post-transfusion mortality among recipients of ABO-compatible but non-identical plasmaPathogen-reduction methods: advantages and limitsCost-Effectiveness Analysis: What It Really Means for Transfusion Medicine Decision MakingErythropoietic therapy: Cost efficiency and reimbursementReview article: the prothrombin time test as a measure of bleeding risk and prognosis in liver diseaseCurrent Risks of Transfusion-Transmitted Agents: A ReviewPathogen Inactivation: The Definitive Safeguard for the Blood SupplyBlood Substitutes: Basic Principles and Practical AspectsStrategies for testing blood donors for West Nile virusCoagulation disorders and hemostasis in liver disease: Pathophysiology and critical assessment of current managementScreening the United States Blood Supply for West Nile Virus: A Question of Blood, Dollars, and SenseCorrection: Meeting Transfusion Safety Expectations 4 October 2005Volume 143, Issue 7Page: 537-538KeywordsBloodBlood banksBlood transfusionHIVHematologic testsLungsNucleic acidsSafetyWest Nile virus ePublished: 4 October 2005 Issue Published: 4 October 2005 Copyright & PermissionsCopyright © 2005 by American College of Physicians. 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