Access to the 2020 AABB Annual Meeting On-Demand sessions expires on December 31, 2022. Each session includes the on-demand recording and a downloadable MP3 audio file. Presentation handouts are not available/included.
Planning Committee Disclosures
AM20-22: COVID-19 Convalescent Plasma - Optimizing Collection Strategies and State of RCTs
Preview Available
Credits: None available.
During this session, we will review the PassItOn study from Vanderbilt University and a prophylaxis clinical trial from Johns Hopkins to better understand the methodology, design, and status of these trials. The session will also feature discussions of how best to optimize collection of COVID-19 convalescent plasma in terms of (1) workflow and (2) maximizing the safe collection of high antibody titer units.
Learning Objectives:
AM20-23: Does Assessing Vital Signs Contribute to Blood Donation Safety?
Preview Available
Credits: None available.
Blood services depend upon healthy blood donors to provide a safe and adequate supply of blood products. With a shrinking donor base, many blood collection agencies are challenging blood donor eligibility regulations that lack scientific basis. Several studies, in and outside of the United States (US), document the relatively poor correlation of donor vital signs outside of normal range and subsequent adverse donor reactions to collection. This session will explore and compare the requirements for vital signs to determine donor eligibility in the US, and the experience of other countries on donor safety after changing vital signs requirements for determination of donor eligibility. In this session, the Donor Health and Safety Committee and the Donor Hemovigilance Working Group will present the following: 1) an overview of donor vital signs regulations in the Code of Federal Regulations that govern donor eligibility in the US and the evidence supporting consideration of change; 2) a summary of the changes made by Canadian Blood Services/ Hema-Quebec related to blood donor vital signs requirements and their experience following implementation; 3) an overview of changes related to requirement of pre-donation vital signs in the Australia and the impact on donor safety; and 4) the position of the Food and Drug Administration on blood pressure and pulse as blood donor eligibility criteria.
AM20-24: Innovative Alternatives to Platelet Transfusion
Preview Available
Credits: None available.
Presented in collaboration with Be The Match BioTherapies®
The increased understanding of the biological events underlying the generation of platelets from megakaryocytes led to the development of novel strategies that might eventually supplement or replace donor-derived platelet transfusions. Ex vivo manufacturing of platelets from primary hematopoietic stem cells or from induced pluripotent stem cells has been pursued and near-clinical doses of platelets have been achieved by utilizing highly optimized ex vivo cultures and/or state-of-the-art bioreactors. In addition, megakaryocyte-biased cellular products that have the ability to naturally release platelets in the patient’s own body after infusion have been proposed to mitigate repeated platelet transfusions. Clinical implementation of these approaches has the potential to overcome the limitations associated with donor-dependent platelet transfusions such as risk of bacterial contamination, alloimmunization and refractoriness. Furthermore, these novel strategies have the potential to mitigate the increasing demand for donor platelet transfusions which is compounded by dependency on volunteer donors, short storage time and lifespan after infusion as well as shortages in supply due to inclement weather and holidays. This session will review three different approaches to the standard platelet transfusions. Each presenter will highlight the biological basis, process and description of product development as well as manufacturing and regulatory strategies to advance these cellular products to the clinic. Attendees will require a general understanding of human thrombocytopoiesis, i.e. platelet production in vivo and ex vivo, and development of cellular products as therapeutics along with the knowledge of the clinical indications for platelet transfusions and associated risks.
Credits: None available.
HLA can be a difficult and cumbersome topic to understand, yet it is important for the transfusion/apheresis practitioner to be able to interpret the significance of HLA testing results and apply it to clinical decision making. To address this, last year we began with the “Basics of HLA for Apheresis Practitioners”, which reviewed the fundamentals of HLA nomenclature, testing methodologies, reporting, and common areas of confusion (“Level 1.0”). This year’s session will pick up from where last year’s session left off and progress the audience to higher level scenarios (“Level 2.0”). Don’t worry if you did not attend last year’s session – this is meant to be friendly to all audience members and key concepts will be (briefly!) recapped where appropriate. This session will use case-based learning to highlight essential take-home points as well as delving into some of the more nuanced scenarios. We will demonstrate how to access and use some of the online tools, databases, and resources commonly used by HLA experts. The goal is to empower the audience in their understanding of HLA, build their confidence in communicating with other teams on HLA-relevant topics (e.g. transplant service, HLA lab, donor center), and improve their independence in interpreting HLA testing reports and applying that understanding to clinical decision making in transfusion, transplantation, and apheresis.
AM20-26: Practical Tales of Red Cell Genotyping: Through the Eyes of the Molecular Biologist, Serologist, and Physician
Preview Available
Credits: None available.
This interactive session provides a practical approach to understand and evaluate blood group genotyping from the perspective of a genotyper, an immunohematology serologist and a transfusion medicine clinician. Common red cell genomics terminology, concepts, and applications will be discussed to improve the participant’s ability to interpret red cell genotyping reports. The session will equip practitioners with knowledge to understand how to utilize genotyping as a powerful tool to assist in the provision of transfusion support to a patient. Important test limitations of serology and genotyping will be explained. Case studies from red cell serology, to DNA testing, to the clinical relevance will be presented to expand and enhance the knowledge of the serologist and physician to improve patient care.
AM20-27: Oral Abstract Session -- Data Driven Clinical Practice
Preview Available
Credits: None available.
Oral abstract session on Data Driven Clinical Practice
AM20-28: Implementing the FDA Guidance for Industry of Platelets: Bacterial Risk Control Strategies from a Blood Center and Transfusion Service Perspective
Preview Available
Credits: None available.
The Bacterial Risk Control Strategies for Blood Collection Establishments and Transfusion Services to Enhance the Safety and Availability of Platelets for Transfusion was issued September 2019 with an 18-month implementation time frame.
This session will address the implementation steps taken at a large metropolitan hospital, and a major organization that includes five blood centers.
It will include the questions asked, decisions made, challenges that were overcome, and the regulatory steps taken to implement. It will address the different options to comply with the FDA Guidance, hospital customers concern and final outcomes.
AM20-29: Test Your Blood Bank Knowledge 2020
Preview Available
Credits: None available.
This is the time to show off your blood bank knowledge by participating in a challenging blood bank game show! Using a game show format, multiple-choice questions will be presented to the audience in categories corresponding to the ASCP SBB and BB Exam Content Outline. The scores will be tallied by audience response technology allowing participants to be part of the ACTION! The questions range from the basic to esoteric blood bank knowledge, inviting all levels of AABB attendees to get involved in this fun and challenging session. The technology tracks the scores of the participants leading to the “Final Challenge Question," which determines the participants with the highest scores for Test Your Blood Bank Knowledge 2020.
AM20-30: Supporting Genetic Therapies for Sickle Cell Disease (ASH/AABB Joint Session)
Preview Available
Credits: None available.
Presented in collaboration with Be The Match BioTherapies®
Cellular therapies for treating SCD are expanding at a rapid pace, with multiple approaches in trials and under development. Most of the therapeutic approaches use stem cell transplantation with genetically modified HSC, to generate red cells resistant to sickling. Emerging therapies include gene addition of beta globin, Bcl11a modification as well as other gene and base editing techniques being performed at both academic and industry research laboratories. While there are promising early results from clinical trials using gene therapy, more work is required to understand how to optimize stem cell collection, transplantation and engraftment.
To develop novel cell therapies, a concerted effort to link clinicians, patients, researchers and industry to move the field forward. In our session, we will review the current landscape of SCD therapies and to discuss how the initiative functions to identify and support initiatives. We will discuss the therapeutic clinical trials and review the clinical indicators used to assess successful outcomes. Lastly, we will discuss preparative transfusion therapies to optimize mobilization and collection of stem cells and to improve outcome of stem cell transplantation. The latter therapies heavily rely on the expertise of transfusion medicine specialists. Together, this presentation seeks to demonstrate the multimodal approaches of cell therapy for sickle cell disease.
The target audience is wide and includes:
• Blood bank technicians and managers to understand transfusion needs
• Apheresis clinicians who perform red cell exchange and stem cell collection
• Hematologists and Stem Cell Transplant clinicians interested in trials and clinical therapeutic endpoints
• Patients and their advocates to understand the multi-modal nature of the novel cell therapies
• Scientific program managers that allocate resources and balance efforts within an initiative
AM20-31: Plenary Oral Abstract Session
Preview Available
Credits: None available.
Oral abstract session on Plenary Oral Abstracts
