Following the April meeting of the Australian Health Ministers’ Conference (AHMC), Australian Red Cross Blood Service (Blood Service) is pleased to announce the timetable for implementation of 100% leucodepletion of red cells has been agreed as follows:
1 July 2008 – Western Australia, Northern Territory, South Australia, Victoria and Tasmania
All platelets, nationally, have been leucodepleted since the commencement of bacterial screening.
The two primary collection bags have been selected by the Blood Service for the production of leucodepleted red cells. These are manufactured by Fresenius and Pall Corporation and are in wide use throughout the international blood banking community. Both bags use SAG-M as the red cell additive solution.
The product code for 'Red Cells in SAG-M Leucodepleted' is A0 04390 3B and this code applies to both the Fresenius and Pall blood bags.
Please note there will be a 42 day period following implementation when laboratories may have a mixed inventory, comprising both leucodepleted and non-leucodepleted red cells.
All leucodepleted red cell components will be labelled as such, but during this period, bedside leucodepletion may need to continue for non-leucodepleted red cell components if indicated.
Hospitals and laboratories are advised that the implementation of universal leucodepletion of red cells will have hospital-wide implications. Bedside leucodepletion filters will no longer be required once this is fully implemented.
All blood components will still require administration via a standard blood giving set containing a 170–200 µm aggregate filter.
If you have any queries, please contact your Transfusion Medicine Services team.
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