Vaccination and Blood Donation Policies Protect Blood Safety

The Association for the Advancement of Blood & Biotherapies (AABB) invites healthcare professionals to participate in a one-hour educational program designed to address challenges to critical blood donation safety policies. This timely program focuses on potential policy proposals that would mandate labeling “mRNA-free donations” based on testing that that is not available for use with donated blood and does not comply with FDA requirements, or requirements for patient consent requirements for blood transfusions donated by individuals vaccinated with mRNA or self-amplifying RNA vaccines.

By dispelling misconceptions and emphasizing evidence-based practices, this program demonstrates the integrity of the blood supply, shows how needless, unproven testing for the presence of mRNA is not available for blood donations and could threaten continued availability of blood for patients in need. Participants will learn about the scientific evidence supporting the safety of blood donations from vaccinated individuals, the negligible risk posed by vaccine components in transfusions, and the unintended, far-reaching consequences of unnecessarily restrictive policies on the blood supply. Additionally, participants will learn about FDA regulations related to false claims of “vaccine-free” or “mRNA-free” donations and will gain the tools and knowledge to engage with policymakers effectively, fostering informed dialogue that counters unnecessary and potentially harmful policies.

Presented by

Susan Leppke, MPH
Director/Moderator/Speaker
Senior Director, Public Policy and Strategic Partnerships
AABB, Bethesda, MD

Claudia Cohn, MD, PhD
Speaker
Chief Medical Officer
AABB, Bethesda, MD

Cliff Numark
Speaker
Senior Vice President, Donor Services, Chief of Marketing
Vitalant, Scottsdale, Arizona

Karen Palmer, MT(ASCP) CQA(ASQ)
Panelist
Director, Regulatory Affairs, AABB

Learning objectives

After participating in this educational activity, participants should be able to:

1. Explain the scientific evidence demonstrating the safety of blood donations and the biological basis for the negligible risk of vaccine components in blood transfusions.
2. Explain relevant FDA requirements addressing donor testing and blood labeled in a manner that is false or misleading are misbranded, in violation of section 502(a) of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act.
3. Identify examples of policy proposals targeting vaccinated blood donors and assess their potential impact on public health.
4. Utilize educational and advocacy tools, such as fact sheets and messaging strategies, to engage policymakers and stakeholders effectively to prevent the adoption of unnecessary measures that could compromise the availability and accessibility of the blood supply.
5. Support evidence-based policymaking that prioritizes public health and preserves a reliable and equitable blood donation system that meets the needs of all patients.

Registration

Registration includes access to both the live and on-demand version of this eCast. Registration for the live eCast will close 1 hour prior to the eCast start time. If you register after this time you will receive access to the on-demand eCast when it is available.

 For additional information and to register, visit the AABB event webpage. Please note: Registration fees are required for AABB events.