Global Efforts to Improve Biovigilance: Cell, Tissue, Organ Safety
Program Code: 9329-TC-TI
Monday, October 26, 2009
4:00 PM to 5:30 PM (ET)

MODERATOR
Jerry Holmberg, PhD, MT(ASCP)SBB, Novartis Vaccines and Diagnotstics, Inc.

SPEAKERS
Scott Brubaker, CTBS, American Association of Tissue Banks
Cindy Hyson, MN, Public Health Agency of Canada
Matthew Kuehnert, MD, Centers for Disease Control
Deirdre Fehily, PhD, Italian National Transplant Centre

DESCRIPTION
Systems for monitoring and responding to transfusion-related adverse events and incidents (i.e. hemovigilance) exist or are being implemented in most developed countries. However, similar measures to improve patient safety related to cell, tissue, and organ transplantation (i.e. biovigilance) are globally less. This session will describe sentinel events and development of new surveillance networks that have led efforts to improve transplantation outcomes. Details regarding the structure of the European Standards and Training in the Inspection of Tissue Establishments (EUSTITE) initiative in Europe, the Transplantation Transmission Sentinel Network (TTSN) in the United States, and the Cell, Tissue, Organ and Assisted Reproduction Surveillance System (CTOSS) in Canada will be described and related to actions taken by non-government organizations, including AABB, AATB, and UNOS to further progress of biovigilance globally.