ISBT (International Society of Blood Transfusion)

08/09/2026

📢 Recently published in

A new study evaluates the first six months of Australia’s plasma pathway following changes to source plasma donation eligibility related to sexual activity and HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP).

The study found that:

- More than 6,600 source plasma donations were collected that would otherwise not have been eligible.

- There were no detections of HIV, hepatitis B or hepatitis C.

- The findings suggest that a dedicated plasma pathway could offer an opportunity for people currently ineligible to donate transfusable components because of PrEP use or sexual activity to donate plasma instead.

The authors encourage blood services to consider whether a similar approach could help expand the donor pool while maintaining blood safety.

📖 Read the full article in Vox Sanguinis:
https://doi.org/10.1111/vox.70360

Background and Objectives Sexual activity–based blood donation restrictions aim to reduce incident transfusion-transmissible infections (TTIs) but are not required for source plasma because of addit...

03/09/2026

🎙️ The ISBT Transfusion Practitioners are back with a new episode!

“How does it feel when you get the call to say a major haemorrhage has been activated?”

In Episode 15, Josephine McCullaghshares her experience of responding to a major haemorrhage call — the pressure, the urgency and what goes through your mind in that moment.

Together with Rachel Moss, Josephine explores the realities of Major Haemorrhage Protocols, sharing personal experiences, practical insights and lessons from transfusion practice.

🎧 Listen to Episode 15: Understanding Major Haemorrhage Protocols.
https://open.spotify.com/episode/7BreNMQMqGMDvjpqmjMJmi?si=300a0ff5d44e4372

01/09/2026

🩸 What can 20 years of blood contingency planning teach us?

Join our upcoming ISBT Webinar as Susan N. Nahirniak looks back at two decades of experience with Canada’s National Plan for Management of Labile Blood Components.

🎙️ Speaker: Susan N. Nahirniak
🎙️ Moderator: Ruhi Mehra

📅 9 September 2026
🕒 15:00–16:30 CEST

https://www.isbtweb.org/events/isbt-webinar-blood-contingency-planning-learnings-from-a-20-year-old-national-plan.html

Save the date and join us for a practical look at what 20 years of contingency planning can teach us about preparing for future challenges.

31/08/2026

In Focus: Transforming blood product logistics in Africa through drone delivery
How can we get life-saving blood products to patients faster, particularly in remote areas?
In the latest , Florence Haruna and Jason Acker look at how drone delivery is helping improve access to blood and blood components across Africa.

From reducing delivery times and wastage to expanding access to component therapy, could this technology help make transfusion care more equitable?

👉 Read the full article in the July 2026 issue of Transfusion Today.
https://isbtweb.foleon.com/transfusion-today/transfusion-today-july-2026/transforming-blood-product-logistics-in-africa-through-drone-delivery

In Focus Transforming blood product logistics in Africa through drone deliveryImproving the quality and equity of transfusion careFlorence HarunaZipline International Inc, GhanaRead bio >Jason Acker Canadian Blood Services, CanadaRead bio >Timely access to safe blood remains one of the greatest chal...

17/08/2026

Join us for next week's webinar!

"From Constraint to Coordination" — safe transfusion support in severe IgA deficiency through multi–blood centre collaboration.

On this webinar you will learn:
✅ Presentation & pathophysiology of anaphylactic transfusion reactions
✅ Clinical challenges in IgA-deficient transfusion support
✅ A real-world multi–blood centre coordination pathway
✅ Systems-based strategies to protect safety & cut wastage

📅 26 Aug | 3–4 PM CEST

Register now — members only 🔗 https://www.isbtweb.org/events/isbt-webinar-from-constraint-to-coordination-delivering-safe-transfusion-support-in-iga-deficiency-through-a-systems-based-multi-blood-centre-approach.html

12/08/2026

Working Together to Advance Paediatric Transfusion 🩸🤝

The ISBT Paediatric Transfusion Subgroup met in person during the ISBT Congress in Kuala Lumpur on 22 June 2026 to discuss the progress of ongoing projects and explore new opportunities for collaboration.

The meeting provided an excellent opportunity for members to share updates, exchange ideas, and shape priorities for the months ahead, all with the shared goal of advancing evidence-based paediatric transfusion practice.

A sincere thank you to everyone who participated and continues to contribute their expertise and dedication to this important work.

Together, we are driving collaboration, innovation, and improved care for paediatric patients worldwide.

More info: https://www.isbtweb.org/isbt-working-parties/clinical-transfusion/working-party-subgroups/paediatrics-subgroups.html

10/08/2026

New on Transfusion Today, Nikasha Williams, Milan Shah, Mahsa Yazdanbakhsh, and Jason Acker map the shift toward direct, single-cell RBC assessment — from FlowScore and AI-driven morphology imaging to deformability cytometry (Naiad, AcCellerator) and single-cell oxygen-exchange kinetics (BloodSpeed).

📖 Read it:

In Focus Towards better analytical tools for blood quality assessmentEmerging technologies to the rescueNikasha WilliamsUniversity of Alberta, Edmonton, Canada Read bio >Milan ShahUniversity of Alberta, Edmonton, CanadaRead bio >Mahsa Yazdanbakhsh University of Alberta, Edmonton, CanadaRead bio >Jas...

05/08/2026

Iron deficiency anaemia in children: an often-missed diagnosis with real transfusion implications.

Despite being one of the most common causes of anaemia worldwide, iron deficiency anaemia in paediatric patients remains under-recognised — often only surfacing at the point of transfusion decision-making.

The ISBT Clinical Transfusion Working Party's Paediatric Transfusion Subgroup is launching a new project to explore current practices and identify gaps in how IDA is recognised and managed in children.

We're looking for members with relevant experience, data, or interest in this area to get involved. If that's you, comment below.

03/08/2026

Welcome back to Mentorship Mondays! 🌟

This week, we continue highlighting inspiring stories from the ISBT Mentorship Programme.

Meet Steve, Transfusion Medicine Specialist at the Cameroon Baptist Convention Health Services, African Regional Representative for the ISBT Global Blood Safety Working Party, member of the African Blood Regulatory Technical Committee of the African Union, Co-Founder of the Transfusion Arena Mentorship (TRAM) Program and Blood Track, and , a senior transfusion medicine professional with over 50 years of experience across clinical, operational, and executive roles.

Through the mentorship programme, Steve gained valuable leadership insights that he now applies across his work with ISBT Academy events, the Global Blood Safety Working Party, Blood Track, and the teams he supports.

A key lesson he carries forward is the importance of systems thinking, clear communication, and investing in the growth of others.

His advice to future mentees: take that step — clarity comes through action.

Swipe through to learn more about Steve’s mentorship journey. ➡️

28/07/2026