[Ensuring the safety of erythrocyte concentrates using quarantine]

We have decided that it is essential to establish a process to protect patients receiving concentrated red blood cells (CGR) from a residual risk of contamination by the HIV virus or by the hepatitis C virus. Viral inactivation techniques of labile blood products are not presently in use, only safety measures obtained by quarantine allow a reduction of this risk to a value approaching 0. We have developed, from known deep-freeze methods of red blood corpuscles, a process to place the samples of concentrated red blood cells in quarantine by means of deep-freezing. We have modified and automated the deep-freezing, thawing and washing manipulations of the red blood corpuscles in order to obtain a final product which is standardized in quantity and quality. The result of our work will show: That all the means employed are not a source of contamination of the end product. That the procedures employed may be easily adapted to all Blood Transfusion Centers. That the end-product may be used after 21 days of conservation. That the extra cost entailed by this procedure is realistic.