AABB Addresses Release of IOM Cord
Blood Report
BETHESDA, MD AABB commends the Institute of Medicines (IOM) Cord
Blood Study Committee on its recently released report detailing the
challenging issues facing the cord blood community. While AABB supports
several of the recommendations put forth in the IOMs Cord Blood:
Establishing a National Hematopoietic Stem Cell Bank Program, the
association believes the IOM report does not go far enough to optimize
the quality of cord blood banks by integrating the expertise of the
diverse organizations currently involved in the collection, processing
and transplantation of cord blood units. AABB believes that every
standard-setting and accreditation organization currently involved in
the cord blood field brings a unique and important perspective.
AABB believes strongly in the development of a national cord blood
framework that serves patient needs while recognizing the importance of
clinical decision-making in the collection, preparation, storage,
distribution, and transplantation of cord blood units, said Karen Shoos
Lipton, chief executive officer of AABB. Our association supports the
IOM Committee in regards to building consistency in standards-setting,
with the goal of creating a uniform standard of care for all patients
requiring cord blood transplantation. However, we do not support the
Committees recommendation concerning the establishment of a single cord
blood accrediting body.
AABB has been setting standards and accrediting facilities involved in
the collection, processing and distribution of blood and blood
components for more than 50 years. For over a decade, AABB has drawn
from this vast experience in blood banking and transfusion medicine to
establish quality and technical standards in emerging cellular therapy
arenas, including cord blood. AABB is the only cord blood stem cell
accrediting organization that has experience in the accreditation of
facilities operating in a rigorous regulatory environment.
AABB would have preferred that the IOM Committees report recommend
that the multiple associations or societies involved in the cell therapy
arena coordinate assessment and accreditation in their respective areas
of expertise, said Zbigniew M. Szczepiorkowski MD, PhD, director of the
Cellular Therapy Center at Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center and chair
of AABBs Cellular Therapies Standards Program Unit. AABB believes that
limiting the expertise to a single organization does not serve the best
interests of patients or the institutions involved in the provision of
cord blood therapies.
AABB
Established in 1947, AABB (formerly known as the American Association of
Blood Banks) is an international, not-for-profit association dedicated
to the advancement of science and the practice of transfusion medicine
and related biological therapies. The association is committed to
improving health by developing and delivering standards, accreditation
and educational programs and services that optimize patient and donor
care and safety. AABB membership consists of approximately 1,800
institutions and 8,000 individuals, including physicians, scientists,
administrators, medical technologists, nurses, researchers, blood donor
recruiters and public relations personnel. Members are located in all 50
states and 80 countries.
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