[Safety of blood transfusions; need for 'hemo-vigilance']

Blood transfusion in the Netherlands depends wholly on voluntary donations of blood. Very soon the measures to ensure the safety, the quality and clinical appropriateness of the application of blood products will be re-evaluated. Currently it is not so much viral but bacterial contamination that causes worry, in addition to immunological transfusion reactions. Safety not only depends on freedom from viral or bacterial contamination, but also on the appropriate clinical use of blood products. Physicians will need to document the individual indications for the use of blood products and the patient's reactions at follow-up. European legal harmonisation emphasises look-back procedures and haemovigilance as a means of ensuring sound clinical practice regarding blood transfusion.