Guide to the preparation, use and quality assurance of blood components - 16th edition (2010)

The use of blood components represents the only therapy available for many seriously-ill patients who suffer from acute or chronic diseases. To provide all those working in the field of transfusion medicine - from blood services to hospital departments to regulators - with a compendium of measures designed to ensure the safety, quality and efficacy of blood components, the Council of Europe has developed a guide as a technical annex to its Recommendation N° R (95) 15 on the preparation, use and quality assurance of blood components. The Guide contains recommendations on blood collection, blood components, technical procedures, transfusion practices and quality systems for blood establishments. It represents the basis for a large number of national regulations, as well as for the blood directives of the European Commission. This is the 16th edition of the Guide, compiled by leading European experts under the aegis of the European Committee (Partial Agreement) on Blood Transfusion (CD-P-TS). This Steering Committee was created in 2007 by the Council of Europe to pursue its activities in the field of blood transfusion following the transfer of these activities to the EDQM.