Voluntary Market Withdrawal of Products: The American Association of Blood Banks, America's Blood Centers, the American Red Cross, and the U.S. Department of Defense recently recommended a voluntary market withdrawal (a withdrawal initiated by blood collectors, as opposed to regulatory agencies) of certain blood products in order to attempt to reduce the risk of transmission of West Nile virus via blood transfusions. This market withdrawal is being undertaken in cooperation with the Federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The FDA is aware of the withdrawal. The New York Blood Center (NYBC) recently sent letters to hospitals informing them of the procedures relating to the voluntary market withdrawal, which includes quarantining certain products. GNYHA members that have not received information from their blood providers regarding the withdrawal should contact their providers for information.

FDA Guidance on Recipients of Smallpox Vaccine: Since Phase I of the Federal government's pre-event smallpox vaccinations of public health and health care workers is expected to begin soon, the FDA recently issued final guidance entitled, "Recommendations for Deferral of Donors and Quarantine and Retrieval of Blood and Blood Products in Recent Recipients of Smallpox Vaccine (Vaccinia Virus) and Certain Contacts of Smallpox Vaccine Recipients." The guidance is effective immediately and may be accessed via the FDA Web site, at www.fda.gov/cber/gdlns/smpoxdefquar.pdf.

Blood Shortage: NYBC recently sent a notice to hospitals that contract with it for blood products advising the hospitals of its plans to reduce standing orders for O negative blood beginning on January 3, 2003, due to a low inventory of blood. NYBC attributes the blood shortage to the usual holiday shortage, coupled with a recent snowstorm. NYBC recently issued an emergency media appeal for blood donations and is requesting that hospitals consider hosting blood drives if they have not yet scheduled any.