The French Haemovigilance System

Abstract

Haemovigilance is a national system of surveillance and alarm, from blood collection to the follow-up of the recipients, gathering and analysing all untoward effects of blood transfusion in order to correct their cause and prevent recurrence. In France haemovigilance was created by law and notification of transfusion incidents is a legal obligation. The haemovigilance network associates local correspondents in each hospital and blood centre with regional co-ordinators and is centralised by the Agence Française du Sang. After 4 years the incident reporting rate is 2.3 per 1,000 allogeneic blood components transfused, justifying for example increased efforts in the prevention of bacteria-associated transfusion reactions, haemolytic transfusion reactions or vascular overload. However, haemovigilance still has to be strenghtened by improved information management or further progress in standardisation from one region to the other. The most important factor of success is collaboration between blood centres and hospitals. Haemovigilance clearly is the ultimate quality indicator of a transfusion service.

Safety of the Blood Supply in Latin America

“…However, the organization of the system may differ from country to country. In France it is mandatory to report every side effect (16), while in the United Kingdom the system functions on a voluntary basis. In Austria, Germany, and Sweden, reporting is also mandatory, but in another nine countries it is voluntary.…”

Interventions Implemented to Reduce the Risk of Transmission of Bacteria by Transfusion in the English National Blood Service

“…From 1994 to 1998, the French haemovigilance surveillance system (a mandatory requirement under French law), attributed 18 deaths (four occurring in 1997) to blood components contaminated with bacteria [5,6]. Between 1994 and 1999, bacterial transmissions comprised 22% of total transfusionassociated fatalities [7].…”

“…Between 1994 and 1999, bacterial transmissions comprised 22% of total transfusionassociated fatalities [7]. Transmission of bacteria by transfusion was reported to the haemovigilance surveillance system as the most frequently identified cause of death [5].…”

Hemovigilance: Definition and Overview of Current Hemovigilance Systems

“…In 1997 there were 7,604 reports, in 1998 7,725 reports, in 1999 7,089 reports, in 2000 approximately the same number as in 1999, and in 2001 7,452 reports, with some 2.5-2.8 million blood components transfused every year. 9,10,11,12,13,14 In the UK, where hemovigilance is a national voluntary scheme between professionals (SHOT, Serious Hazards of Transfusion), covering transfusion reactions of grades 2 to 4, the number of notifications is much lower than in France. In 1996/97 there were 169 reports, in 1997/98 197 reports, in 1998/99 252 reports, in 1999/2000 291 reports, and in 2000/2001 283 reports, with some 3.0-3.5 million blood components transfused every year.…”