Transfusion medicine

Canadian Blood Services supports best practices in transfusion medicine through the development of educational resources. Written by subject-matter experts from across Canada, our transfusion medicine resources support clinical practice and help health-care professionals stay current in an ever-changing field.

If you are a health-care professional working in transfusion medicine and have a comment or suggestions for new resources, please get in touch.

Aditi Khandelwal
Transfusion Medicine Specialist and Hematologist

Surveillance report

We are pleased to present this annual report describing transmissible blood-borne infection surveillance. High quality and timely surveillance is central to the safety of the blood supply. This includes monitoring of transmissible disease markers that the blood is tested for (including bacteria) and investigation of any reports of possible transfusion transmission, as well as a horizon scan for any new pathogens that may pose a risk.

Vein to vein: A summary of the blood system in Canada

This chapter of the Clinical Guide to Transfusion provides an overview of the blood system in Canada, including the regulations and standards that help ensure a safe, secure and sustainable blood system.

Blood components

This chapter provides an overview of red blood cells, whole blood leukocytes reduced, platelets, plasma and cryoprecipitate processing at Canadian Blood Services. Additional information on component dosing, indications/contraindications and alternatives are included.

Latest updates from the National Advisory Committee on Blood and Blood Products (as of February 26, 2025)

New

Updated

NAC Statement on Fibrinogen Concentrate Use in Acquired Hypofibrinogenemia

Upcoming events

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Jul 16
12:00 pm | Virtual

A sticky summer: Platelet transfusion refractoriness, HSCT and anti-CD36 case study

CSTM Virtual Education Days offer short, 2-3 hour, themed education sessions, with an opportunity to directly connect with the experts via a live Q&A. Save the date for this upcoming event! This event will be offered simultaneously in both English and French with a bilingual Q&A. Open to anyone -

Transfusion

Jul 16
12:00 pm | Virtual/Online

Reducing Inappropriate Lab Testing – you play an important role!

Want to improve lab utilization? This presentation highlights the 14 CSMLS and University of Alberta recommendations developed for Choosing Wisely Canada through collaboration with subject matter experts. These recommendations can help promote the effective use of lab resources and lead to real

Transfusion

Jul 16
2:00 pm | Virtual

What To Do When Your Freezers Are Full: Strategies for Optimizing Cellular Therapy Product Cryopreservation and Storage (25EL-517)

Cellular therapy products are cryopreserved and stored in liquid nitrogen freezers for subsequent transplantation into recipients. Storage duration is variable but is typically a few weeks to a few years. Unused products may continue to be stored for many decades after the recipient has been

Transfusion

Recent R.E.D. blogs

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Professional education highlights from CSTM 2025

Working with subject matter experts, Canadian Blood Services supports the development and delivery of initiatives that address the educational needs of the transfusion medicine community and supports best practices in clinical care. Several of these initiatives were recently showcased at the annual Canadian Society for Transfusion Medicine (CSTM) conference, held in St. John’s last month. In this blog, Canadian Blood Services knowledge broker, Kaylee Brooks, recaps key takeaways about the impact of these initiatives after visiting the poster session at CSTM. Empowering the transfusion medicine

Post date: July 10, 2025

Transfusion

From bench to conference: A trainee's highlights from CSTM 2025

The Canadian Society for Transfusion Medicine (CSTM) annual conference, held in partnership with Canadian Blood Services and Héma-Québec, took place on May 29 - June 1, 2025, in St. John’s, Newfoundland with the theme of “No lab is an island.”  Coinciding with CSTM, Canadian Blood Services' annual Research Day offered an opportunity for its extended research network to collaborate, share their research, and connect. Following these events, we invited trainee attendees from across the network to reflect on their experiences and key learnings. This blog was prepared by Zoya Hussain, a Master’s

Post date: June 26, 2025

Transfusion

ICTMG partners with AABB to advance platelet transfusion practice with publication of new international guidelines

Platelets are the cells in blood that help stop bleeding by forming clots when an injury occurs. Platelets are given to patients who might develop bleeding, who are living with conditions that cause platelet dysfunction, or who have decreased platelet counts due to chemotherapy and other medical treatments. While transfusions can be a life-saving medical intervention, any transfusion is not without risks. As demand increases, there is also a need to ensure that blood components like platelets are used in the most appropriate and beneficial ways to reduce shortages. Clinical guidelines are a

Post date: June 23, 2025

Transfusion

Transfusion medicine

Surveillance report

Vein to vein: A summary of the blood system in Canada

Blood components

A sticky summer: Platelet transfusion refractoriness, HSCT and anti-CD36 case study

Reducing Inappropriate Lab Testing – you play an important role!

What To Do When Your Freezers Are Full: Strategies for Optimizing Cellular Therapy Product Cryopreservation and Storage (25EL-517)

Professional education highlights from CSTM 2025

From bench to conference: A trainee&#039;s highlights from CSTM 2025

ICTMG partners with AABB to advance platelet transfusion practice with publication of new international guidelines

From bench to conference: A trainee's highlights from CSTM 2025