What's New - Chronological (January 2021)

Also see What's new by topic | What's new - Archives

• BC PBCO
• NEW TraQ's December newsletter

16 January

• General news: Operation Aderlass doctor Mark Schmidt jailed for almost five years (15 Jan. 2021)
• Anani WQ, Gottschall J, Denomme GA. Red cell genotyping of rare blood donors: donation behaviour and data visualization. Vox Sang. 2021 Jan 5. Epub ahead of print.
• Davison KL, Reynolds CA, Andrews N, Brailsford SR; UK Blood Donor Survey Steering Group. Blood donation by men who have sex with men: using evidence to change policy. Vox Sang. 2021 Jan 5. Epub ahead of print.
• Frigo MG, Agostini V, Brizzi A, Ragusa A, Svelato A. Practical approach to transfusion management of post-partum haemorrhage. Transfus Med. 2021 Jan 5. Epub ahead of print.
• Kron AT, Collins A, Cserti-Gazdewich C, et al.; University of Toronto Quality in Utilization, Education and Safety in Transfusion (QUEST) Research Program. A prospective multi-faceted interventional study of blood bank technologist screening of red blood cell transfusion orders: The START study. Transfusion. 2021 Jan 10. Epub ahead of print.
• Masser BM, Ferguson E, Thorpe R, et al. Motivators of and barriers to becoming a COVID-19 convalescent plasma donor: A survey study. Transfus Med. 2020 Dec 27. Epub ahead of print. (Free full text) | PubMed abstract
• Shin HJ, Kim JH, Park Y, et al; Korea University Bloodless Medicine Center Scientific Committee. Effect of patient blood management system and feedback programme on appropriateness of transfusion: An experience of Asia's first Bloodless Medicine Center on a hospital basis. Transfus Med. 2020 Dec 27. Epub ahead of print.

15 January

• Indonesia: Hunting for blood (14 Jan. 2021) | Ongoing shortages due to pandemic
• Nepal: High-tech blood transfusion center to be built in Pokhara (12 Jan. 2021)
• UK (Infected Blood Inquiry):
  • 8 presentations by haemophilia clinicians in 2021 (15 Jan. 2021) | Videos
  • Restriction order by Chair Brian Langstaff (14 Jan. 2021) | Grants continued anonymity to Witness W1303
  • Update following latest coronavirus restrictions (5 Jan. 2021)
• Joyner MJ, Carter RE, Senefeld JW, et al. Convalescent plasma antibody levels and the risk of death from Covid-19. N Engl J Med. 2021. Epub 2021 Jan 13. (Free full text) | Related:
  • Katz LM. (A little) clarity on convalescent plasma for Covid-19 (Editorial) N Engl J Med. 2021. Epub 2021 Jan 13. (Free full text)
• Peetz AB, Kuzemchak MD, Streams JR, et al. Regional ethics of surgeon resuscitation for organ transplantation after lethal injury. Surgery. 2021 Jan 9:S0039-6060(20)30822-9. Epub ahead of print.
• Ramezanpour N, Zaker F, Biswas A, Dorgalaleh A. Inhibitor in congenital factor VII deficiency; a rare but serious therapeutic challenge-a systematic literature review. J Clin Med. 2021 Jan 8;10(2):E211. (Open access) | PubMed abstract
• Sugimoto N, Eto K. Generation and manipulation of human iPSC-derived platelets. Cell Mol Life Sci. 2021 Jan 13:1–17.Epub ahead of print. (Free full text) | PubMed abstract

12 January

• General news: Report finds low adverse event rate from COVID-19 vaccine (8 Jan. 2021)
  • Allergic reactions including anaphylaxis after receipt of the first dose of Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine — United States, December 14–23, 2020. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep. ePub: 6 January 2021. (Free full text)
• USA: HHS allocates $300M for Abbott COVID-19 rapid tests or 'equivalent' testing tech (8 Jan. 2021)
• Industry news: ForaCare Suisse AG introduces Rapid COVID-19 Antigen Test (8 Jan. 2021)
• Journals: Transfus Med Rev 2020 Jan;34(1):1-72 (14 free text articles)

10 January

• General news: Operation Aderlass, Operacion Puerto approach closure with two different outcomes (8 Jan. 2021)
• General news: Pig saved by transfusion from fellow pig after ingesting rat poison (6 Jan. 2021) | Feel good news item to make you smile
• India: MGM Medical College, Indore, to begin NAT testing to detect hepatitis, HIV (9 Jan. 2021)
• India: "I am too poor to afford my daughter’s bone marrow transplant" Please help (9 Jan. 2021)
• Ducrocq G, Calvo G, González-Juanatey JR,et al; REALITY investigators. Restrictive vs liberal red blood cell transfusion strategies in patients with acute myocardial infarction and anemia: Rationale and design of the REALITY trial. Clin Cardiol. 2021 Jan 6. Epub ahead of print. (Open access) | PubMed abstract
• Nakamura Y, Furuta Y, Tokida M, et al. A survey of nurses to assess transfusion practice at the bedside using an electronic identification system: Experience at a university hospital. Transfus Med. 2021 Jan 4. Epub ahead of print.
• Ravula U, Chunchu SR, Gente VK. Whole blood derived covid convalescent plasma: An economical option among developing countries. (Letter) Transfus Apher Sci. 2021 Jan 1:103045. Epub ahead of print. (Free full text)
• Suleiman L, Bakhtary S, Manuel SP. Defining core competencies in transfusion medicine for resident physicians: A multi-specialty Delphi consensus study. Transfusion. 2021 Jan 7. Epub ahead of print.

6 January

• General news: Who is doing all those COVID-19 tests? Why you should care about medical laboratory professionals (14 Dec. 2020)
• Canada (CBS): Shelly and Randy are 2020 recipients of the inaugural Logan Boulet Award | Annual recognition event hosted by CBS, which celebrates exemplary donors, community leaders and volunteers for their generous contributions and commitment to Canada’s Lifeline. | Related:
  • Halifax physician plans unforgettable gift for her husband to find after her death (23 Aug. 2019)
• Canada (CBS): Top 5 blog posts of 2020 (31 Dec. 2020)
• USA: One American dies from Covid-19 every 33 seconds as the vaccine rollout hits snags (5 Jan. 2021)
• USA: CSL Plasma paying Rhode Islanders $100 for COVID-19 plasma donations (4 Jan. 2021)
• Resource library (Canadian Society of Transplantation): National Transplant Consensus Guidance on COVID-19 Vaccine (18 Dec. 2020) | Guidance to organ donation organizations and regional transplant and donation programs to guide the management of COVID-19 vaccination in transplant recipients
• Resource library: CSTM 2020 abstracts
• Fingrut W, Messner HA, Allan D. Targeted recruitment of optimal donors for unrelated hematopoietic cell transplantation: The Stem Cell Club process. Hematol Oncol Stem Cell Ther. 2020 Dec;13(4):220-231.Epub 2020 Apr 20. (Free full text) | PubMed abstract
• Li EW, Lee A, Vaseghi-Shanjani M, Anagnostopoulos A, et al. Multimedia resources to support the recruitment of committed hematopoietic stem cell donors: Perspectives of the most-needed donors. Transfusion. 2020 Dec 2. Epub ahead of print.
• Perelman I, Fergusson D, Lampron J, et al. Exploring peaks in hospital blood component utilization: a 10-year retrospective study at a large multisite academic centre. Transfus Med Rev. 2020 Nov 12:S0887-7963(20)30071-7. Epub ahead of print.
• Silva E Silva V, Hornby L, Almost J, et al. Burnout and compassion fatigue among organ and tissue donation coordinators: a scoping review. BMJ Open. 2020 Dec 15;10(12):e040783. (Free full text) | PubMed abstract
• Weiss MJ, Lalani J, Patriquin-Stoner C, et al. Summary of international recommendations for donation and transplantation programs during the coronavirus disease pandemic. Transplantation. 2021 Jan 1;105(1):14-7. (Free full text) | PubMed abstract
• Weiss MJ, Krmpotic K, Cyr T, et al. A program of research to evaluate the impact of deceased organ donation legislative reform in Nova Scotia: the LEADDR Program. Transplant Direct. 2020 Dec 15;7(1):e641. (Free full text) | PubMed abstract

3 January

• Pakistan: Minister orders crackdown on unregistered blood banks (1 Jan. 2021)
• Industry news: Platelet-rich plasma market to expand at a CAGR of 11.4% from 2019 to 2027 (1 Jan. 2021)
• Goldman M, Townsend M, Magnussen K, Dunbar N. Vox Sanguinis International Forum on mitigation strategies to prevent faint and pre-faint adverse reactions in whole blood donors: Summary. Vox Sang. 2020 Nov 27. Epub ahead of print.
• Gammon RR, Tyler L, Alvarez H, et al. An international effort and use of social media to save a young girl. Vox Sang. 2020 Dec 21. Epub ahead of print.
• Kumukova I, Trakhtman P, Starostin N,et al. Quality assessment of red blood cell suspensions derived from pathogen-reduced whole blood. Vox Sang. 2020 Nov 22. Epub ahead of print.
• Prax M, Spindler-Raffel E, McDonald CP, et al.; ISBT Transfusion-Transmitted Infectious Diseases Working Party, Subgroup on Bacteria. Establishment of transfusion-relevant bacteria reference strains for red Blood cells. Vox Sang. 2020 Dec 20. Epub ahead of print. (Open access) | PubMed abstract
• Rahajeng IM, Muslimah F. Towards safe blood-transfusion practice for nurses: Effectiveness of comic-based learning tool. Enferm Clin. 2020 Dec;30 Suppl 7:126-10. English, Spanish.
• Villeneuve A, Arsenault V, Lacroix J Tucci M. Neonatal red blood cell transfusion.. Vox Sang. 2020 Nov. 27. (Free full text)
• Wouters E, Steenhuis M, Schrezenmeier H, et al. Evaluation of SARS-CoV-2 antibody titers and potency for convalescent plasma donation: a brief commentary. Vox Sang. 2020 Dec 23. Epub ahead of print. (Open access)

1 January

• Hong Kong: HK man dies after transfusion from COVID-19-infected donor, but it's unlikely that's why he died (31 Dec. 2020)
• India: Punjab State Legal Services Authority files public interest litigation to ensure relief and rehabilitation for families of thalassaemia-affected children given HIV-positive blood (28 Dec. 2020)
• Industry news: "Drugs don't work if people can't afford them": Big Pharma to raise prices of 300 medications on Jan. 1 (31 Dec. 2020) | Related:
  • Reuters exclusive: Drugmakers to hike prices for 2021 as pandemic, political pressure put revenues at risk (31 Dec. 2020)
  • Vaccines boost Big Pharma’s image, but won’t change its ways (29 Dec. 2020)
  • Covid vaccines offer chance for big pharma to improve its image (4 Dec. 2020)