Standardization and Accreditation in Haemopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation - an Asia Pacific Perspective

Standardization and formal accreditation of practices related to hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) and therapies using hematopoietic-derived cellular products aim to promote quality in clinical and laboratory practice and provide knowledge to all stakeholders of centers. This article refers to three aspects of these processes starting with the importance of accurate viable CD 34 enumeration in HSCT. A highly accurate method of enumeration and a robust EQAS program is required, especially during the current COVID-19 pandemic. The second section shares experiences with FACT-JACIE accreditation at the Singapore General Hospital demonstrating how accreditation is part of continuous improvement and not only a destination. This journey can be difficult in many HSCT centers of low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) because of the intensive and rigorous requirements of the internationally accredited models. Hence, in LMICs, a staged movement toward establishing such standards must be considered. This approach is presented in the third section of the article with data on the current situation in countries reporting to the APBMT registry.