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ASSOCIATION BULLETIN
#06-06
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Date:
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October 4, 2006 |
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To:
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AABB Members |
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From:
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Christopher D. Hillyer, MD – President
Karen Shoos Lipton, JD – Chief Executive Officer |
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Re:
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Pandemic Influenza Planning |
Summary
The AABB Interorganizational Task Force on Pandemic Influenza and the Blood Supply (Task Force) was formed in late 2005 to help ensure that blood needs can be met in the event of an influenza pandemic. The task force is actively monitoring current information and data pertaining to a possible pandemic and has developed guidance for blood centers, hospital blood banks and hospital transfusion services. The guidance is intended to help facilities prepare for a pandemic and limit any related adverse impact on blood safety and availability. Background
AABB serves as the designated coordinating entity for the task force. In addition to AABB, task force members include: America's Blood Centers, American Red Cross, Blood Centers of America and AdvaMed. Representatives from the following government agencies also participate in task force discussions: Armed Services Blood Program, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Department of Health and Human Services, and Food and Drug Administration.
The task force has developed the following resources to assist blood centers, hospital blood banks and transfusion services in preparing for and responding to a future pandemic:
- Pandemic Influenza Planning Background Paper – this paper includes background information regarding flu pandemics and the possible effects a pandemic may have on the blood supply, as well as a general overview of issues for which planning is needed.
- Pandemic Influenza Issues Outline – this outline provides details on planning issues and identifies options that facilities should consider taking to prepare for and respond to a pandemic.
- Blood Collection Facility and Transfusion Service Pandemic Influenza Planning Checklist – this checklist is designed to help collection facilities and transfusion services organize their efforts.
Recommendation
AABB recommends that facilities review these documents and develop their own plans to prepare for and respond to a pandemic. Such plans, developed in conjunction with broader disaster planning, will be essential to mitigate the significant adverse impact a pandemic could have on the blood supply. These documents will be edited as necessary as the state of knowledge regarding a possible flu pandemic and its impact on the blood supply continues to evolve. Updates to these and other guidance documents will be posted on AABB’s Web site as they become available. To view the pandemic planning documents, visit www.aabb.org under "Programs and Services > Disaster Response".