CLEVELAND, Aug. 22 /PRNewswire/ -- Bacterial contamination of blood products remains a persistent and often overlooked problem for patients who receive transfusion therapy, causing serious morbidity or death in 100-150 people each year in the United States alone. Many authorities consider bacterial contamination of platelets to be the leading infectious complication from blood transfusions today, placing the risk of receiving contaminated platelets at 200-250 times that of receiving a unit with infectious agents such as HIV or hepatitis. Exploratory efforts are ongoing to develop better means of reducing this risk, and some of the world's leading experts will be presenting the issues, current research and potential solutions at a Symposium in October during the annual meeting of the American Association of Blood Banks. The program, provided by Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine with support of an educational grant from bioMerieux, Inc. (formerly Organon Teknika), will offer participants a unique insight into the ongoing worldwide efforts being made to maximize transfusion safety and minimize bacterial contamination of platelets. As an approved educational activity, 2 hours of Category 1 CME credit will be granted to attendees.

The symposium will be held on Monday, October 15, 2001 at the Marriott Rivercenter in San Antonio, Texas from 7:00pm to 9:00pm, followed by dinner courtesy of bioMerieux, Inc. Invited faculty members include Roslyn Yomtovian, MD, Co-Chairperson, Director of Blood Bank, University Hospital of Cleveland, OH; Mark Brecher, MD, Co-Chairperson, Director of Transfusion Medicine Services, University of North Carolina Hospitals, Chapel Hill, NC; Erica Wood, MD, Australian Red Cross Blood Service, Victoria, Australia; Che-kit Lin, MD, Hospital Chief Executive, Hong Kong Red Cross Blood Transfusion Services, Hong Kong, China; and J. Marcelis, MD, Clinica Microbiologist and Medical Advisor, Sanquin Foundation, Tilburg, The Netherlands. Seating is limited. Transfusion medicine professionals and members of the media interested in attending are encouraged to reserve a seat in advance. Contact Donna Westin, meeting coordinator at (800) 274-8263 or (216) 368-2408, or register online at www.cme.cwru.edu. 

This activity has been planned and implemented in accordance with the Essentials and Standards of the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education through the sponsorship of the Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine. The Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education to provide Continuing Medical Education for Physicians and takes responsibility for the content, quality, and scientific integrity of this CME activity. 

SOURCE: bioMerieux, Inc.

WEB SITE: http://www.cme.cwru.edu/

CO: bioMerieux, Inc.; American Association of Blood Banks