Dear Colleagues,
The National Blood Authority is pleased to advise you that the National Statement for the Emergency Use of Group A Clinical Plasma is now available on the National Blood Authority’s website at Inventory management for blood and blood products | National Blood Authority (https://www.blood.gov.au/blood-products/blood-product-management/inventory-management-blood-and-blood-products).
Group AB clinical plasma components have traditionally been used for all emergency plasma transfusions before a patient’s blood group has been determined. Group AB, whether RhD positive or negative, is the least common blood type, only 4% of the Australian population and is only collected from male plasma donors.
Utilisation of group A clinical plasma for emergency blood resuscitation is a safe alternative that provides clinical benefit and eases pressure on group AB donors and supplies.
The National Statement for the Emergency Use of Group A Clinical Plasma underwent a targeted public consultation process and has been endorsed by the following organisations who were represented on the expert working group:
- Australian College of Rural and Remote Medicine
- Australian College of Emergency Medicine
- Australian and New Zealand Society of Blood Transfusion
- National Blood Transfusion Committee (Australian Red Cross Lifeblood)
- National Pathology Accreditation Advisory Council
Kind regards,
Lyndsay