AM22-55-O - AM22-55-O: (On-Demand) Is It Time for the Death Knell of the Current US Apheresis Platelet Dose of 3.0 x 1011? (Enduring)

A recent AABB Chief Medical Officers’ roundtable discussion has brought platelet supply concerns to the forefront. The session is intended to raise awareness about the need to consider lowering the dose of apheresis platelets in the United States in order to make platelets available for a greater number of patients. It will start with an examination of the international minimum doses of both whole blood derived and apheresis platelets. This will be followed by coverage of the advantages of lowering the dose. Due to the newly implemented FDA Guidance Bacterial Risk Control Strategies for Blood Collection Establishments and Transfusion Services to Enhance the Safety and Availability of Platelets for Transfusion that includes large volume delayed sampling and pathogen reduction technology, lowering the platelet dose would increase productivity in apheresis collections (i.e., higher split rates) and possibly less units would be needed to pool whole-blood derived platelets. These measures may ease the supply shortage. There would also be a discussion of advantages of standardizing the dose for all types of platelets (whole-blood and apheresis). The session would conclude with a discussion of the disadvantages of lowering the dose. This would include lack of recent US studies and a possible requirement for an increased frequency and number of transfusions that would particularly affect outpatients. Finally, should dose affect the cost of platelets? This topic will be reviewed.

All relevant financial relationships have been mitigated.