Monthly Newsletter- May 2021

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General News | Specific countries | Diseases | Industry News | Resource Library | Journals
Collaborating Site: CSTM

General

• NEW TM blog:Bad Moon Rising (Musings on being fired for having 'long haul' COVID-19)
• WHO: World Blood Donor Day, 14 June
• USA: Hospital-based clinical laboratory scientist sues former employer after being fired due to long-haul COVID-19 illness (5 May 2021) | Related
  • Superior Court of California, County of Fresno: Kathleen Hamada vs Community Hospitals of Central California | Download the law suit here
• UK: Government launches world-first COVID-19 vaccine booster study launches in UK (Press release, 19 May 2021)
• USA: FDA advises against use of SARS-CoV-2 antibody test results to evaluate immunity or protection from COVID-19, including after vaccination (19 May 2021)
• AABB to honor 2020 Nobel Laureate Harvey Alter for contributions to discovery of HCV on World Blood Donor Day, 14 June (18 May 2021)
• Blood money (NPR in USA,14 May 2021) | Includes audio (25 min.) and full transcript, including participation by Canadian Blood Services CEO, Dr. Graham Sher. | Related:
  • Introduction to Blood Money (From NPR's Planet Money podcasts)
• Perspectives on thalassemia:
  • Bangladesh: Thalassaemia must be prevented (9 May 2021)
  • India (World Thalassemia Day 2021): Can you receive blood transfusion immediately after Covid-19 vaccination? (8 May 2021)
  • Pakistan: World Thalassaemia Day (9 May 2021)
• How to become a lab planner (28 Apr. 2021)

Canada

• The legality of paying for plasma (and the limits of the law) (July 2020)
• CE/CPD
  • CBS: Upcoming educational events (Six in May 2021)
  • ORBCoN: Upcoming educational events

Australia

• Red Cross defied basic principles of blood safety by recruiting Hepatitis C-infected donors (Oped, 7 May 2021)
• From 1966 archives: Collapse of a Sydney man with one of the rarest blood types in the world (cdE/cdE or r"r") sparked an international search for donors (7 May 2021) | Related:
  • Buchanan DI, Varvis A. The rare Rh genotype CdE/cdE (r^yr"). Am J Clin Pathol. 1957 Jul;28(1):64-70. | Note: Dr. DI Buchanan has a CSTM Award in his honor.

Ghana

• Laboratory scientists strike - Relatives of patient in dire need of blood left frustrated (28 May 2021)
• Medical negligence: The perspective of doctors and hospital administrators (27 May 2021)

India

• Thalassemia patients, blood donors stopped by police in Hyderabad (23 May 2021)
• Man in Dehradun duped of his money while trying to seek plasma for his Covid-positive mother (15 May 2021)
• New guideline for blood donation after vaccination (8 May 2021)
• Donate blood before getting vaccinated, doc tells Hoshiarpur youth (28 Apr. 2021) | More than 70% of the blood in blood centres comes from people between 18 and 45 .

Malaysia

• Blood supply in Kedah critical, only three days’ worth left, says state transfusion services chief (27 May 2021)

Pakistan

• KfW ensuring safe blood transfusion across country: Dr Masuma (30 Apr. 2021)

Sri Lanka

• Shortage of blood at NBTS due to COVID-19 risks and restrictions on movement (8 May 2021)

UK

• Infected Blood Inquiry:
  • 2020-21 financial report published (11 May 2021)
  • April newsletter
• Infected Blood Inquiry - News:
  • 'I want their voices to be heard' - Health secretary Hancock (21 May 2021)
  • Hancock pledges payouts if advised by inquiry (21 May 2021)
  • Appointment of Sir Robert Francis QC to undertake the infected blood compensation framework study (UK Government, 20 May 2021)
  • Swann (N. Ireland health minister) has 'challenging' meeting with families (19 May 2021)
  • Government compensation for infected blood victims inevitable, inquiry told (18 May 2021)
  • Government has 'moral duty' to compensate over blood scandal (18 May 2021)
  • No long-term commitment for Scottish HIV payments (18 May 2021)
  • UK Health Secretary Matt Hancock to give evidence at inquiry (4 May 2021)
  • Scottish Government ministers to appear at UK-wide infected blood probe (1 May 2021)

USA

• AABB regulatory update: Updating the circular with bacterial risk control strategy language (26 May 2021)
• Some surgeries, organ transplants delayed due to blood shortage in New Orleans (24 May 2021)
• AABB: Proposed draft Standards for Blood Banks/Transfusion Services, 33rd ed., is available for public comment (May 21-July 21, 2021)
• ADVANCE study recruiting MSM interested in blood donation (18 May 2021)
• COVID pandemic, restrictions cut into global blood plasma supply at U.S.-Mexico border (13 May 2021)
• NY bill would allow air ambulances to carry blood (11 May 2021)
• New Yorker (RN anesthetist) who lost both legs wants blood transfusions on emergency helicopters (30 Apr. 2021)

Industry news

• Australia: Zebra Techologies' hand held scanner boosts blood scanning accuracy by 50% according to Royal Children’s Hospital in Melbourne (24 May 2021)
• Terumo donates additional $1 Million USD to support the COVID-19 Solidarity Response Fund for WHO (Press release, 14 May 2021)
• CSL forced to offer more cash to US plasma donors (5 May 2021) | Instead of usual $20-$50 USD/donation, first time plasma donors offered between $825-$1100 USD for first eight donations then less/donation thereafter depending on the location & its need.
• Australia: In Cold Blood: how privatisation of CSL abandoned the victims of Australia’s public health tragedy (Oped, 4 May 2021)

Diseases in the news

• COVID-19: See India, Sri Lanka, USA, and Industry News  above.
• HCV: See General news and Australia above
• HCV/HIV: See UK and Industry News above
• Thalassemia: See India and General News above

Resource Library

• NOTE: Starting January 2021 items in the Resource Library will consist of new or recently added ones. The remaining resources will be in Resource Library Archives. You can also access each country's archived resources individually:
  • Australia | Canada | UK
• NEW TM blog: Bad Moon Rising (Musings on being fired for having 'long haul' COVID-19)
  • April TM blog: Stand by me (Musings on ongoing bullying in healthcare)
• CANADA:
  • NEW CBS: COVID-19: Update on organ donation and transplantation services (Links to many resources)
  • CBS Clinical Guide to Transfusion:
    • Chapter 6: Donor Selection, Donor Testing and Pathogen Reduction (13 Apr. 2021)
    • Chapter 16: Preoperative Autologous Donation (21 Apr. 2021)
  • CBS: Ch. 2. Blood Components [Clinical Guide to Transfusion] (Updated: 15 Jan. 2021)
  • TraQ's monthly newsletter
  • CBS: Upcoming educational events (Seven in April 2021)
  • ORBCoN: Massive Hemorrhage Protocol
  • ORBCoN: 2021 webcast schedule
  • PBCO:
    • 2019-20 year end data presentation
    • 2019-20 BC transfusion reaction presentation
• ISBT: Introduction to Blood Transfusion: from donor to recipient. ISBT Science Series (2020) Epub 2020 Dec 11 (Free ebook, 332 pp.)
• UK:
  • NEW (UK SHOT): Animated videos (31 Mar. 2021)
    • Understanding Human Factors in Transfusion Pt 1 (5:55 mins)
    • Understanding Human Factors in Transfusion Pt 2 (7:24 mins)
  • SHOT webinar on Haemolytic Transfusion Reactions (12 Mar. 2021) | 55 Min. video
  • NHSBT: Patient Blood Management launches Blood Assist app to support and promote safe blood component administration(1 Feb. 2021) | App can be downloaded onto personal devices or centrally in clinical areas.

Journals, etc.

Free full text papers | * 1 or more Canadian authors

• Free sample journal issues:
  • NEW  Transfus Med Rev 2021 Jan;35(1):1-66. (Free text articles)
  • Brit J Haematol 2017 June;177(6):827-1007. | Special Issue:Low to middle income countries
  • Immunohematology (J of American Red Cross): 1988-2017. (Articles in these years are free)
• Open access journal: The Lancet Digital Health 2019 May;1(1):e1-e44.
• Open access journal: Hematology, Transfusion and Cell Therapy, Journal of the Brasilian Association of Hematology, Hemotherapy and Cell Therapy (ABHH)
• Transfus Med Hemother 2019 Oct; 46(5): Many open access articles
• Open access journal (May 2020): The Lancet Microbe
• Akbiyik A, Sari D, Ta kiran N. Student nurses' assessment of medical errors. Creat Nurs. 2021 May 1;27(2):131-7.
• * Al-Riyami AZ, Burnouf T, Yazer M, et al.; ISBT Convalescent Plasma Group. International Forum on the Collection and Use of COVID-19 Convalescent Plasma: Protocols, Challenges and Lessons Learned: Summary. Vox Sang. 2021 May 20. Epub ahead of print.
• * Al-Riyami AZ, Burnouf T, Yazer M, et al. International Forum on the Collection and Use of COVID-19 Convalescent Plasma: Responses. Vox Sang. 2021 May 20. Epub ahead of print.
• Alshehri AA, Jackson DE. Non-invasive prenatal fetal blood group genotype and its application in the management of hemolytic disease of fetus and newborn: systematic review and meta-analysis. Transfus Med Rev. 2021 Mar 1:S0887-7963(21)00004-3.Epub ahead of print.
• Banchev A, Batorova A, Faganel Kotnik B, et al; Patient Advocacy Group. A cross-national survey of people living with hemophilia: impact on daily living and patient education in central Europe. Patient Prefer Adherence. 2021 Apr 28;15:871-83. | PubMed abstract
• Bansal V, Mahapure KS, Mehra I, et al. Mortality benefit of convalescent plasma in COVID-19: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Front Med (Lausanne). 2021 Apr 9;8:624924.| PubMed abstract
• Becker M, Dulovic A, Junker D, et al. Immune response to SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern in vaccinated individuals. Nat Commun. 2021 May 25;12(1):3109. | PubMed abstract
• Bennett-Guerrero E, Romeiser JL, Talbot LR, et al.; Stony Brook Medicine COVID Plasma Trial Group. Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 convalescent plasma versus standard plasma in coronavirus disease 2019 infected hospitalized patients in New York: a double-blind randomized trial. Crit Care Med. 2021 Apr 16. Epub ahead of print.
• Bolcato M, Shander A, Isbister JP, et al. Physician autonomy and patient rights: lessons from an enforced blood transfusion and the role of patient blood management. Vox Sang. 2021 Apr 7.Epub ahead of print. | PubMed abstract
• Chandler T, Neumann-Böhme S, Sabat I, et al. Blood donation in times of crisis: Early insight into the impact of COVID-19 on blood donors and their motivation to donate across European countries. Vox Sang. 2021 Apr 9. Epub ahead of print. | PubMed abstract
• Delaforce A, Duff J, Munday J, et al. A theoretically informed approach to support the implementation of pre-operative anemia and iron deficiency screening, evaluation, and management pathways: Protocol for a Type Two hybrid-effectiveness study. J Multidiscip Healthc. 2021 May 6;14:1037-44. | PubMed abstract
• Doneda M, Yalçindag S, Marques I, Lanzarone E. A discrete-event simulation model for analysing and improving operations in a blood donation centre. Vox Sang. 2021 May 6. Epub ahead of print.
• Elgendy MM, Durgham R, Othman HF, et al. Platelet transfusion and outcomes of preterm infants: A cross-sectional study. Neonatology. 2021 May 11:1-9. Epub ahead of print.
• Ferguson E. Inequality averse and compassionate blood donor: implication for interventions. Vox Sang. 2021 Apr 9. Epub ahead of print. | PubMed abstract
• Focosi D, Moscato G, Pistello M, Maggi F. Kinetics of anti-SARS-COV2 spike protein IgG and IgA antibodies at 4°C: Implications for convalescent plasma stability. (Letter to editor) Transfus Med. 2021 Apr 25. Epub ahead of print.
• Garzon Jimenez RC, Lieshout-Krikke RW, Janssen MP. West Nile virus and blood transfusion safety: A European perspective. Vox Sang. 2021 Apr 26. Epub ahead of print.
• * Germain M, Grégoire Y, Custer BS,et al; BEST Collaborative. An international comparison of HIV prevalence and incidence in blood donors and general population: a BEST Collaborative study. Vox Sang. 2021 Apr 9. Epub ahead of print.
• Gilchrist PT, Thijsen A, Masser BM, et al. Improving the donation experience and reducing venipuncture pain by addressing fears among whole-blood and plasma donors. Transfusion. 2021 Apr 26. Epub ahead of print.
• * Goldman M, Uzicanin S, Marquis-Boyle L, O'Brien SF. Implementation of measures to reduce vasovagal reactions: Donor participation and results. Transfusion. 2021 Apr 20. Epub ahead of print.
• * Hadjesfandiari N, Khorshidfar M, Devine DV. Current understanding of the relationship between blood donor variability and blood component quality. Int J Mol Sci. 2021 Apr 11;22(8):3943.| PubMed abstract
• Halford B, Pinheiro A, Haspel RL. Hospital medicine providers' transfusion knowledge: a survey study. Transfus Med Rev. 2021 Apr 20:S0887-7963(21)00011-0. Epub ahead of print.
• Hands K, Taylor C, Kotzé A, Richards T, Narayan S; A British Society for Haematology Good Practice Paper. Preoperative patient blood management during the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic. Br J Haematol. 2021 May 7. Epub ahead of print.
• Hu L, Wang B, Jiang Y, et al. Risk factors for transfusion-related acute lung injury. (Review) Respir Care. 2021 Jun;66(6):1029-38. Epub 2021 Mar 27.
• Jia S, Chen J, Wen J, et al. Serological screening and genetic analysis of RhCE variants in the Chinese Southern Han donors. Transfus Med. 2021 May 16. Epub ahead of print.
• Kracalik I, Mowla S, Katz L, et al. Impact of the early COVID-19 pandemic on blood utilization in the United States: a time-series analysis of data reported to the National Healthcare Safety Network Hemovigilance Module. Transfusion. 2021 May 14. Epub ahead of print.
• Kriegsmann K, Pavel P, Bochtler T, et al. Cryostorage to what end? - Autologous stem cell products in Burkitt lymphoma, acute lymphoblastic leukemia, acute myeloid leukemia, and myeloproliferative neoplasm patients. Transfus Med Hemother. 2021 Mar;48(2):91-8. Epub 2020 Sep 15.
• Leentjens J, van Haaps TF, Wessels PF, et al. COVID-19-associated coagulopathy and antithrombotic agents-lessons after 1 year. Lancet Haematol. 2021 Apr 27:S2352-3026(21)00105-8. Epub ahead of print. | PubMed abstract
• * Lewin A, Drews SJ, Lieshout-Krikke R, et al; Surveillance, Risk Assessment, Policy, the Virology Sub-groups of the ISBT Transfusion Transmitted Infectious Diseases Working Party. An international comparison of anti-SARS-COV-2 assays used for seroprevalence surveys from blood component providers. Vox Sang. 2021 Apr 29. Epub ahead of print. | PubMed abstract
• Liu AP, Cheuk DK. Disease-modifying treatments for primary autoimmune haemolytic anaemia. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2021 Mar 26;3(3):CD012493.
• * Martinaud C, Scorer T, Lozano M, et al. International Forum on Walking Blood Bank Programmes: Summary. Vox Sang. 2021 May 3. Epub ahead of print. Related:
  • * Martinaud C, Scorer T, Lozano M, et al. International Forum on Walking Blood Bank Programmes: Responses. Vox Sang. 2021 May 3. Epub ahead of print.
• Moore EE, Moore HB, Kornblith LZ, et al. Trauma-induced coagulopathy. Nat Rev Dis Primers. 2021 Apr 29;7(1):30.
• Mowla SJ, Kracalik IT, Sapiano MRP, et al. A comparison of transfusion-related adverse reactions among apheresis platelets, whole blood-derived platelets, and platelets subjected to pathogen reduction technology as reported to the National Healthcare Safety Network Hemovigilance Module. Transfus Med Rev. 2021 Apr 2:S0887-7963(21)00007-9. Epub ahead of print.
• Nagiria VR, Vince JD, Duke T. Living with thalassaemia in Papua New Guinea, the experience of children, adolescents and their families. J Paediatr Child Health. 2021 May 5. Epub ahead of print.
• Nsofwa A. From working in the corporate world to nursing to advocacy. Lancet Haematol. 2021 May 11:S2352-3026(21)00138-1. Epub ahead of print. (Free, requires registering)
• Petersen JM, Patel V, Jhala D. Highly effective model for implementation of in-house platelets in a tertiary veteran Hospital setting without a trauma center. Lab Med. 2020 Sep 1;51(5):e51-e58.
• RECOVERY Collaborative Group. Convalescent plasma in patients admitted to hospital with COVID-19 (RECOVERY): a randomised controlled, open-label, platform trial. Lancet. 2021 May 14:S0140-6736(21)00897-7. Epub ahead of print. |
• Simtong P, Sudwilai Y, Cheunta S, et al. Prevalence of leucocyte antibodies in non-transfused male and female platelet apheresis donors. Transfus Med. 2021 May 5. Epub ahead of print.
• Sinha R, Hakendorf P, Sobieraj-Teague M, Roxby D. Anaemia in elderly patients at discharge from intensive care and hospital. Vox Sang. 2021 Apr 18. Epub ahead of print.
• Sørensen K, Baevre MS, Tomter G, et al. The Norwegian experience with nationwide implementation of fetal RHD genotyping and targeted routine antenatal anti-D prophylaxis. Transfus Med. 2021 Apr 5. Epub ahead of print.
• Taeuber I, Weibel S, Herrmann E, et al. Association of intravenous tranexamic acid with thromboembolic events and mortality: a systematic review, meta-analysis, and meta-regression. JAMA Surg. 2021 Apr 14:e210884. Epub ahead of print.
• Trigoso E, Ruiz J, Kenyon M, Murray J. Global collaboration led by the EBMT Nurses Group. Lancet Haematol. 2021 May 11:S2352-3026(21)00133-2. Epub ahead of print. (Free, requires registering)
• Tworek A, Jaro K, Uszy ska-Ka u a B, et al. Convalescent plasma treatment is associated with lower mortality and better outcomes in high-risk COVID-19 patients - propensity-score matched case-control study. Int J Infect Dis. 2021 Apr;105:209-215. Epub 2021 Feb 16. | PubMed abstract
• * Veillette-Bourbeau L, Otis J, Lewin A, et al. Determinants of the intention to participate in a programme of plasma donation for fractionation among men who have sex with men. Vox Sang. 2021 May 4. Epub ahead of print. | PubMed abstract
• Velavan TP, Pallerla SR, Johne R, et al. Hepatitis E: an update on One Health and clinical medicine. (Review) Liver Int. 2021 May 7. Epub ahead of print.
• * Wheeler AP, Delaney M, Fung M, et al; BEST-TEST3 Investigators. Pediatric resident knowledge of transfusion medicine: Results from the BEST-TEST3 international education needs assessment. Transfusion. 2021 May 10. Epub ahead of print.
• * William N, Acker JP. High sub-zero organ preservation: a paradigm of nature-inspired strategies. Cryobiology. 2021 Apr 24:S0011-2240(21)00074-2. Epub ahead of print.
• Yonemura S, Hartson L, Dutt TS, et al. Preservation of neutralizing antibody function in COVID-19 convalescent plasma treated using a riboflavin and ultraviolet light-based pathogen reduction technology. Vox Sang. 2021 Apr 9. Epub ahead of print. (Open access) | PubMed abstract