Blood and Tissue Resources

The Blood and Tissue Resources Program is responsible for oversight of blood banks and tissue banks operating in New York State. This vital public health responsibility extends to protecting the health and safety of both donors and recipients. Regulations have been developed and implemented to ensure the safe and ethical collection, processing, storage, and distribution of donated blood and tissue for clinical use, as well as the recovery of bodies, body parts, organs, and tissues for use in medical research and education
BLOOD RESOURCES
More than 400 facilities are approved by the department to provide blood services. One and a quarter million blood components are prepared annually. Approximately 90% of the blood is collected at blood centers, with the remainder collected by approximately 42 hospitals and a small number of independent facilities. Oversight is provided through the Blood and Tissue Resources Program support of the New York State Council on Human Blood and Transfusion Services, established in 1973 by Public Health Law (Article 31). The Council enacts and amends regulations affecting the safety of the blood supply in New York State, subject to approval by the Commissioner of Health. These regulations include Blood Banks (Subpart 58-2) and Hematopoietic Progenitor Cell Banks (Subpart 58-5). (hematopoietic progenitor cells are precursors of blood cells found in peripheral blood, umbilical cord blood and bone marrow.) The Council also develops guidelines for the processing and clinical use of blood and blood components, and hematopoietic progenitor cells.
Approval by the Blood and Tissue Resources Program or by the Clinical Laboratory Evaluation Program is required for facilities that perform blood banking activities or offer any blood services in New York State, from collection through clinical use. Through collegial education, inspection, and enforcement of regulations, blood banks are assisted in adhering to acceptable standards of practice and complying with regulations. Hematopoietic progenitor cell banks must be licensed as tissue banks, as described below.
Informational materials on blood services, including guidelines and recommendations, are developed and made available to the public and to regulated parties as appropriate. The Program monitors errors and accidents involving blood for transfusion (more than 50 transfusion-related incidents are reported each year that have significant potential to harm either the donor or the recipient). Guidelines have been developed through review of these incidents, including recommendations for reducing fatalities related to blood recovery during and after surgical procedures and for alerting physicians caring for transfusion recipients of possible transfusion-transmitted infections.


http://www.wadsworth.org/labcert/blood_tissue/