International Association for Biologicals Symposium: 'Advances in Transfusion Safety', Cambridge, UK. Foreword.

摘要

For two days, just over 100 speakers, moderators and participants from all continents gathered in Cambridge, UK to discuss recent advances in transfusion safety. Calling on specialists from both developing and developed countries in equal numbers in an environment conducive to free exchange of ideas led to a unique and exciting dialogue on the relative benefits of the two extremes of transfusion technology and practice in these settings. People heard each other and to a large extent understood each other not only through presentations but, most importantly, through long periods of discussion. Remarkably, the presentations and discussions led almost uniformly to an examination of 'myths' of transfusion, including presumptions on clinical use and the best strategies for blood system development. Several dogmas such as volunteer blood is safer than replacement donations, the need to prepare components and eliminate the use of whole blood, post-donation screening only, and centralisation of transfusion operations needed and had serious revisiting. For virtually each topic reviewed in the eight sessions, the view prevailed that "data, not dogma" should be the basis of decision-making and recommendations. Additionally, there was a cautious view of "data" produced by governments or assembled by international organizations. Such data (e.g. the percentage of volunteer donors or the prevalence of markers or other indicators utilized for assessment of 'progress') often were not corroborated by evidence from the field.