Doubling the 30-minute rule without compromising red blood cell quality and safety

What is this research about?

Blood Operators, such as Canadian Blood Services, collect blood from donors with the goal to manufacture and distribute blood products to hospitals for use in patients in need. At Canadian Blood Services, red blood cell (RBC) units are the most common blood product distributed to hospitals. RBC units contain cells and biologicals that need to be stored under controlled temperature in order to maintain cell viability and limit bacterial growth. International regulatory agencies have established a “30-minute rule” to limit RBC exposure to uncontrolled temperatures during storage for up to 30 minutes to prevent contaminating bacteria from growing to lethal concentrations.

Published on