The Changing Landscape of Managing a Rare Blood Frozen Inventory

Speaker(s)

• 

  Sandy Wortman, MLS (ASCP) SBB

  Director- Reference and Transfusion Laboratory Services
  Carter Bloodcare
  Bedford, Texas, United States

  Disclosure(s): No financial relationships to disclose
• 

  Margaret Keller, PhD (she/her/hers)

  Executive, National Laboratories Senior Director, American Rare Donor Program American Red Cross
  American Red Cross
  Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States

  Disclosure(s): No financial relationships to disclose

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Program Chair(s)

• CR

  Claribel Resto, MLS(ASCP) SBB

  Director, Immunohematology Reference Laboratories
  OneBlood
  Orlando, Florida, United States

  Disclosure(s): No financial relationships to disclose

Session Desription: Currently there are only two options for processing frozen red cell units and washed units on a licensed device. One of these two instruments are used in blood centers throughout the US that freeze red blood cell units and wash products. The manufacturer of one of these devices has announced that it will be sunsetted. This has resulted in much discussion and unease about how this change will impact the management of existing frozen rare blood inventories, ability to freeze apheresis red cells, washing of platelets and red cells to remove antibody, IgA, etc., washing of hematopoietic stem cells, and planning for the future.

This session will present data from a survey conducted by the American Rare Donor Program (ARDP) of its US member facilities. Immunohematology Reference Laboratories (IRLs) were asked to provide information on the size of their frozen rare blood inventory, the process or processes used in their facilities. The data provide insight into the sizeable impact this change will have on the rare blood community. We will discuss options under consideration by IRLs that will need to transition to another methodology as well as the challenges of managing a dual frozen inventory and how this will ultimately affect the national rare blood inventories and the patient’s they serve. We will also discuss the pros and cons of each system in regards to washing platelets, red blood cells, hematopoietic stem cells and frozen red blood cells. We will speak to the US industry being dependent on one instrument and the heavy lift organizations will have with implementation and possible FDA variances needed as the one instrument still licensed currently has limitations.