BlueView

We have gathered the top ten blood related posts from 2018. Topics include 7-day platelet storage, new AABB standards, a helpful CDC self-assessment checklist for testing practices, our cell washer video series, tips for centrifugation, and a post on storing blood in the ER.

Blood centers are responsible for the storage and management of rare red blood cells (RBCs). AABB Standards state that rare RBCs should be stored below -65C for up to 10 years. These rare units may even be kept indefinitely due to their scarcity and value. Protecting rare blood...

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has released a draft guidance document entitled “Bacterial Risk Control Strategies for Blood Collection Establishments and Transfusion Services to Enhance the Safety and Availability of Platelets for Transfusion.” (The new version...

Laboratories rely on ultra-low temperature storage to protect sensitive (and in some cases, irreplaceable) samples from being exposed to unacceptable temperatures. When evaluating various ultra-low freezers, it is important to know what to look for. There are critical design...

Photo credit:  cdc.gov

In the United States blood system, if the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) determines that one or more countries are experiencing widespread transmission of the Ebola virus, specific Food and Drug Administration (FDA) guidance should be implemented in...

Automation has increasingly been adopted in clinical laboratories and blood banks, providing alternatives to the traditional method of manual tube testing for pretransfusion testing. Pretransfusion testing techniques all have advantages and limitations; it is important to...

Helmer Scientific has recently been featured in Inside Indiana Business and Noblesville Magazine.  Check out an array of stories about Helmer’s innovations, products, and partnerships along with our generosity initiatives.

At Helmer Scientific, we are looking forward to exhibiting at the world’s leading medical trade fair, MEDICA 2018. MEDICA takes place in mid-November each year in Dusseldorf, Germany. This year’s fair will be held from November 12-15. The Helmer Scientific exhibit will be...

Blood transfusions must be compatible with the recipient’s blood type. If the blood is not compatible, the patient’s immune system attacks the transfused red blood cells, causing a potentially fatal transfusion reaction. This would be the case if someone with type A blood...

Pre-transfusion testing refers to the laboratory tests required to ensure compatibility between a patient’s blood and a transfusion of donated blood. This process includes patient identification, sample collection and labeling, and laboratory testing to determine the patient’s...