Blood supply protection: how much is enough?

Abstract

The delivery and maintenance of a safe blood supply are imperative for Australia?s security and medical advancement. Practices such as the use of voluntary nonremunerated donors (1927), and early coordination to identify optimal testing regimes, e.g. for Hepatitis B virus (HBV) 1975, Human Immunodeficiency virus (HIV) 1985 and Hepatitis C virus (HCV) 1990, have ensured the Australian public are at minimal risk of exposure to unsafe blood. However, the AIDS epidemic did reveal significant flaws and weaknesses in our delivery of a safe blood supply, unfortunately with some devastating ramifications. Since that time, public tolerance of adverse events following receipt of infectious donations is very low. Does Australia now have a safe blood supply, and is safety assured against future potential catastrophes?