The U.S. Biovigilance Network is the first comprehensive national data collection program in the United States for adverse reactions and incidents associated with transfusion and transplantation. This critical collaborative initiative is an AABB priority. Members and Annual Meeting attendees are encouraged to show leadership and support by contributing funds and essential data. 

U.S. Biovigilance Network Is the Nation’s First

The Network will, for the first time on a nationwide basis, collect and analyze data to identify trends and recommend best practices to reduce adverse reactions and incidents associated with blood transfusion and related biological therapies. Ultimately, the analyses of these data will enhance patient safety and reduce health-care costs. In short, biovigilance benefits everyone.

Network Brings U.S. in Sync with Global Community

The U.S. is the only developed nation that does not have an established process to report transfusion-related adverse events. To date, the U.S. has relied on information from hemovigilance systems in other countries and on tracking by individual hospitals, transfusing organizations and blood centers. The challenge is that definitions are not uniformly consistent, results are not always widely shared and common conclusions cannot be drawn. This results in the loss of opportunities to learn from adverse events that may happen in more than one place and reduces the likelihood that events can be prevented elsewhere.

Collaboration Makes Network Possible

The Network is a unique collaboration of public and private interests with shared responsibilities for program development, operation, management and funding. The Inter-organizational Task Force on Biovigilance comprises key stakeholders in the transfusion and cellular therapies communities, including blood centers, hospitals, the federal government, experts on data collection and experienced individuals from other countries that have hemovigilance systems. Through the Department of Health and Human Services, including the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the federal government has provided the electronic platforms for initial surveillance efforts for transfusion recipients as well as blood donors.

Pilot Launch in 2009

The first stage of the pilot phase begins with in December 2008 with training of personnel at nine hospitals across the country. Data collection for the pilot will begin in January 2009. This phase will allow for fine-tuning of the surveillance system and analyses of initial data collected. Additional organizations are voluntarily registering to contribute data, with full participation and system launch anticipated later in 2009.

AABB Members Are Vital to the Network’s Success

On behalf of the U.S. Biovigilance Network, AABB has raised more than $1.3 million to date from both public and private sources. This amount represents one-third of the total $4 million needed to complete start-up and transition to full implementation. AABB has also secured commitments from more than 30 facilities representing almost 10% of transfusion activity in the U.S. However, there is much left to do. The transfusion medicine community’s help is needed to provide the critical data that will fuel the U.S. Biovigilance Network, to provide the start-up capital and to advocate for the Network’s development and sustained operation. During the Annual Meeting, staff are available at the Member Action Center to describe how to contribute data or funds to the U.S. Biovigilance Network. After the Annual Meeting information can be found at www.aabb.org/biovigilance. Together, we can build this vital tool as an investment in human life and our community.