Transfusion medicine teaching for harmonisation of blood transfusion practice in Europe

However intended, European integration is approaching, with more or less binding procedures, for many aspects of our countries' political life. 'Transfusional integration' will require intensive efforts, by all professionals working in blood transfusion all over Europe, to understand that progresses of any kind in one nation's Transfusion Medicine will not be completely effective unless they will be shared by all the rest of European nations. Recognition and harmonisation of teaching criteria and training procedures are essential. The birth and the rapid growth of the European School of Transfusion Medicine (ESTM) is a clear witness of the profound need for increasing harmonisation of the teaching of Transfusion Medicine within Europe.