Self-sufficiency and blood transmitted diseases

Area of Science:

• Blood product safety and public health
• Transfusion medicine and infectious disease control

Background:

• European policies advocate for national self-sufficiency in plasma products.
• Voluntary non-remunerated donation is the preferred basis for plasma product supply.
• National programs utilize either domestic fractionation or contract services.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the benefits of national self-sufficiency in plasma products.
• To assess the impact of self-sufficiency on infectious disease transmission.
• To examine Norway's model of self-sufficiency in coagulation factors.

Main Methods:

• Analysis of national policies promoting plasma product self-sufficiency.
• Review of Norway's program for coagulation factor self-sufficiency since 1981.
• Examination of epidemiological data on infectious disease prevalence in relation to self-sufficiency.

Main Results:

• National self-sufficiency offers epidemiological, economic, and ethical advantages.
• Norway's market-driven approach ensured plasma volume and favored high-yield Factor VIII fractionation.
• This policy led to low antibody prevalence for HIV (6%), HBV (28%), and HCV (41%).
• No Norwegian hemophiliacs contracted Hepatitis A from Factor VIII concentrates.

Conclusions:

• National self-sufficiency in plasma products is crucial for minimizing infectious disease risks.
• Norway's model demonstrates the effectiveness of market forces and specific fractionation methods in achieving safety and supply.
• Self-sufficiency policies contribute significantly to public health by preventing transfusion-transmitted infections.