The Importance of Developing National Standards in Transfusion Medicine in Latin America
Program Code: 312-A/CEO
Monday, October 17, 2005
10:30 AM to 12:00 PM (ET)

MODERATOR
Jose Mauro Kutner, MD, PhD, Hospital Israelita Albert Einstein

SPEAKERS
Ana del Pozo, MD, Hospital Garrahan- Hospital Blood Bank and Public Cord Blood Bank
Miguel Escobar, MD, FACP, Hemocentro (Blood Center) - Cruz Roja del Valle
Elizabeth Vinelli, MD, MBA, MQ, Cruz Roja Hondureņa

DESCRIPTION
This session will present the characteristics of national guidelines for blood collection, testing, processing and transfusion, in different countries of Latin America. The speakers will present how national criteria were developed, how often they are changed and how diverse the standards are. For countries that do not have national guidelines, presenters will discuss the importance of this development and how the blood bank community can have the national authorities develop it. There will be an opportunity to compare and discuss the characteristics of these guidelines among representative Latin American countries, as well as with other countries of the world.