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The new ISBT office - International Society for Blood Transfusion

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<strong>Transfusion</strong> Today | Number 91, June 2012<br />

<strong>The</strong> <strong>new</strong><br />

<strong>ISBT</strong> <strong>office</strong><br />

Four <strong>for</strong>mer Presidents thoughts<br />

on <strong>ISBT</strong><br />

Cell and Gene Based<br />

Medicine Symposium<br />

First <strong>International</strong> Conference<br />

of Saudi <strong>Society</strong><br />

of <strong>Transfusion</strong> Medicine<br />

32nd <strong>International</strong><br />

<strong>ISBT</strong> Congress, Cancún<br />

<strong>ISBT</strong> Statutes and By Laws<br />

<strong>The</strong> Slovenian National<br />

Congress of <strong>Transfusion</strong><br />

Medicine and Haematology


Contents<br />

14<br />

Judith Chapman<br />

05 22<br />

Editorial<br />

1 test, 3 results, real-time virus discrimination<br />

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cobas ® TaqScreen MPX Test, v2.0 (CE-IVD)*<br />

Our <strong>new</strong>est NAT 1 test <strong>for</strong> blood screening offers:<br />

• Real-time detection and identification of 3 viruses<br />

in a single test (HIV, HCV and HBV)<br />

• 5 critical viral targets (HIV-1 Group M, HIV-1 Group O,<br />

HIV-2, HCV and HBV) in one easy-to-use assay<br />

• Increased operational efficiency by removing<br />

the need <strong>for</strong> viral discriminatory testing<br />

• Improved sensitivity compared to the previous version<br />

of the test<br />

• Increased inclusivity of viral targets based on <strong>new</strong><br />

viral sequences<br />

• Improved workflow on a single plat<strong>for</strong>m<br />

<strong>The</strong> most comprehensive NAT assay menu on<br />

a single plat<strong>for</strong>m<br />

<strong>The</strong> fully automated cobas s 201 system is an easy to-use,<br />

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banks worldwide.<br />

Maximize efficiency with ready-to-use reagent kits that<br />

cover seven major viruses: HIV-1, HIV-2, HCV, HBV, WNV,<br />

HAV** and B19V.**<br />

1<br />

Nucleic acid amplification technology<br />

4<br />

13<br />

24<br />

In focus<br />

W.G. van Aken’s reflections on <strong>ISBT</strong>; Robert Beal’s reflections on <strong>ISBT</strong>;<br />

Hans Erik Heier’s reflections on <strong>ISBT</strong>; Francine Décary’s reflections on <strong>ISBT</strong>;<br />

From <strong>ISBT</strong> Central Office<br />

From the President; From the Secretary-General; <strong>The</strong> <strong>new</strong> <strong>ISBT</strong> Office;<br />

Opening speech from the President; Membership Re<strong>new</strong>als; Welcome<br />

to our <strong>new</strong> members; Statutes and by laws; New members <strong>ISBT</strong>; 32nd<br />

<strong>International</strong> Congress of the <strong>ISBT</strong>, Cancún<br />

Regional <strong>new</strong>s<br />

Automated platelet pooling implemented in Russia; First <strong>International</strong><br />

Conference of Saudi <strong>Society</strong> of <strong>Transfusion</strong> Medicine; “Perspectives in<br />

Cell- and Gene-Based Medicines” – <strong>The</strong> Role of <strong>Transfusion</strong> Medicine<br />

and Hemotherapy, Meeting Report; Afghanistan’s Minister of Public<br />

Health, Suraya Dalil, MD, MPH encourages Afghans to donate blood;<br />

Development of <strong>Transfusion</strong> Medicine in Potosí - Bolivia; New Board of<br />

the Bolivian <strong>Society</strong> of Immunohematology and <strong>Transfusion</strong> Medicine;<br />

<strong>The</strong> Slovenian National Congress of <strong>Transfusion</strong> Medicine<br />

and Haematology<br />

President Silvano Wendel Secretary General Geoff Daniels Executive Director Judith Chapman<br />

Design Tomorrow Design Photography <strong>Transfusion</strong> Today Advertising Monique van Dorp,<br />

communication@isbtweb.org<br />

Statements and opinions expressed in <strong>Transfusion</strong> Today are those of the individual contributors and<br />

not that of <strong>ISBT</strong>. Reproduction in whole or part requires permission by the publisher. <strong>ISBT</strong> members<br />

need not obtain permission if proper credit is given.<br />

This issue of <strong>Transfusion</strong> Today features<br />

articles by four previous Presidents of<br />

<strong>ISBT</strong>. <strong>The</strong> idea came from Silvano Wendel<br />

our current President following the opening<br />

of the <strong>new</strong> <strong>ISBT</strong> <strong>office</strong> in Amsterdam.<br />

Those of us working at the <strong>office</strong> agree<br />

that we very much enjoy working in our<br />

<strong>new</strong> premises. You can read more about<br />

the <strong>office</strong> in From the Central Office.<br />

I recently spent half a day with Francine<br />

Décary when we reminisced about our<br />

time together on the <strong>ISBT</strong> Board; Francine<br />

was the past President and I was the<br />

Regional Director <strong>for</strong> Western Europe.<br />

During my period on the Board we<br />

prepared the strategy <strong>for</strong> the period 2009<br />

– 2012. <strong>The</strong> strategy <strong>for</strong> 2012 - 2015<br />

was developed at a Board retreat in June<br />

2011 and we shared the major points<br />

with you in the last edition of <strong>Transfusion</strong><br />

Today. One of the goals is to establish<br />

how <strong>ISBT</strong> can retain its current members,<br />

determine how we can give added value<br />

to our members and identify a strategy <strong>for</strong><br />

increasing recruitment. A piece of research<br />

work has recently been completed on the<br />

membership and we hope to share more<br />

in<strong>for</strong>mation with you on the findings and<br />

how we will initiate the recommendations<br />

over the course of the year.<br />

In the regional pages you will find reports of<br />

two meetings that the <strong>ISBT</strong> Academy has<br />

supported in the last three months. Don’t<br />

<strong>for</strong>get that you can apply <strong>for</strong> <strong>ISBT</strong> Academy<br />

support <strong>for</strong> local educational events.<br />

ROCHE, COBAS, COBAS S, LIFE NEEDS ANSWERS and<br />

TAQSCREEN are trademarks of Roche.<br />

©2012 Roche Molecular Systems, Inc. All rights reserved.<br />

http://molecular.roche.com<br />

*Not available in the US<br />

**CE-IVD. <strong>The</strong> duplex test <strong>for</strong> HAV and B19V has been filed with the<br />

FDA under a Master File. It is available to US laboratories that meet<br />

specific FDA requirements.<br />

Send all correspondence to <strong>ISBT</strong> - Marnixstraat 317, 1016 TB, Amsterdam, <strong>The</strong> Netherlands.<br />

T +31 20 7601 760, F +31 20 7601 761, communication@isbtweb.org.<br />

Platinum member<br />

Gold members<br />

Preparations are almost complete <strong>for</strong> the<br />

32nd <strong>International</strong> Congress in Cancún.<br />

Please come and visit the <strong>ISBT</strong> lounge<br />

and the <strong>ISBT</strong> stand. I hope to see many of<br />

you there.<br />

<strong>Transfusion</strong> Today | Number 91, June 2012<br />

3

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