Hemovigilance: the EU and Canadian Experience
Program Code: 405-TC
Tuesday, October 18, 2005
8:30 AM to 10:00 AM (ET)

SPEAKERS
Cees Smit Sibinga, MD, PhD, FRCP Edin, FRCPath, Academic Institute IDTM, Univ. of Groningen
Pierre Robillard, MD, Hema-Quebec

DESCRIPTION
The risks in transfusion are spread throughout the process. The reporting of fatal events is a common practice, but these events are uncommon and are not an accurate representation of the overall risk in transfusion. Hemovigilance is at its base, a system designed to provide standardized monitoring and reporting of clinical outcomes (expected and adverse events) related to transfusion. Hemovigilance systems are developing differently in different countries. In all, it is hoped that analysis of the data provided through hemovigilance will provide objective information about practces, risks, and identify strategies to prevent risk and improve practices. In this session, the processes and findings from a European and Canadian perspective will be presented