Adverse reactions reporting

According to CSA standards, hospitals are required to report to Canadian Blood Services adverse reactions following transfusion if they are thought to be caused by a deficiency of the blood product. Hospitals also report adverse reactions following transfusion either voluntarily through TTISS or as required by Health Canada.

How to report adverse transfusion reactions

To facilitate reporting of adverse transfusion reactions, we have prepared A Guide to Reporting Adverse Transfusion Reactions, which includes links where reporting forms can be found.

Which adverse transfusion reactions are reported to Canadian Blood Services

The adverse transfusion reactions data reported to Canadian Blood Services are summarized in the interactive graphs below. It is important to note that only data pertaining to adverse reactions related to the transfusion procedure are included in these graphs. Adverse reactions reported to Canadian Blood Services that are later found to be unrelated to the transfusion procedure, and rather to the underlying medical condition of the patient and thus co-incidental, are not included.

Ongoing education with hospital health-care professionals promotes the appropriate reporting of transfusion reactions related to Canadian Blood Services’ products. Those efforts have led to a reduction in the number of adverse transfusion reactions reported to Canadian Blood Services that are related to the patient’s underlying condition (e.g., TACO or febrile reactions) rather than to the product.  

Adverse reaction reports received by Canadian Blood Services may be revised as additional information becomes available. Therefore, the numbers reported for a given year may be subject to change, as a result of the receipt of revised information.

The adverse transfusion reactions data shared by Canadian Blood Services are meant to supplement rather than replace the official reporting that comes from the TTISS program.