Good practices for blood establishments

Blood transfusion is a vital component of modern health care and can be life-saving in many clinical situations. However, it is not without risks, including the potential for acute or delayed complications and the transmission of infections. 

Plasma – the liquid portion of blood – is less commonly used for direct transfusion and is often discarded despite its value. Rich in essential proteins, plasma can be fractionated on an industrial scale to produce plasma-derived medicinal products such as factor VIII, factor IX, fibrinogen, immunoglobulins and albumin. These products are crucial in the treatment of bleeding disorders, immune deficiencies, certain infections and other serious health conditions. 

Therefore, ensuring the safety and quality of both transfused blood components and plasma used in pharmaceutical manufacturing is of paramount importance.