Blood products and related substances.(WHO EXPERT COMMITTEE ON BIOLOGICAL STANDARDIZATION)(World Health Organization)

World Health Organization/International Society of Haemostasis and Thrombosis Liaison Committee report.

The activities of a new WHO/ISTH (International Society of Haemostasis and Thrombosis) liaison committee were presented. The aims of this committee are to promote the timely flow of biological standards related to haemostasis and thrombosis through a sound peer review process in and between organizations through to final establishment by the Expert Committee on Biological Standardization; to advise the Expert Committee of priorities of various standards to be developed, replaced or discontinued as well as on new methodologies, taking into account the needs in the various WHO Regions; to hold regular discussions about information on the development and assessment of such standards; to discuss and recommend as appropriate to the ISTH/SSC and WHO/Expert Committee on Biological Standardization issues related to the preparation, assessment and publication of biological standards in the field of haemostasis and thrombosis.

The Expert Committee received a report on the first meeting of the liaison committee held on 10th August 2005 in Sydney, Australia. The following priorities were identified at the meeting: revision of WHO guidelines for thromboplastin and development and establishment of WHO reference preparations standards (e.g. a number of global measurement standards for in vitro diagnosis; platelet antibodies; and particularly replacement of the current bovine thromboplastin reference material). The liaison committee also commented on priorities proposed by NIBSC and the other collaborating centres for new and replacement reference preparations; provided expert review of standards for submission to the 2005 meeting of the Expert Committee (specifically the proposed standards for factor V plasma, factor XI plasma, prothrombin G20210A mutation, and antihuman platelet antigen 1a); and discussed ISTH/SSC publication of reports and manuscripts.

The Committee heard that it was anticipated that the liaison committee would facilitate communications between ISTH/SSC and the WHO/Expert Committee on Biological Standardization, respond to requests from WHO Regions for standards and guidelines, contribute to a continuity of approach in standards setting, guarantee and maintain records of expert peer review of all submissions to the Expert Committee, and provide a point of contact for all WHO-ISTH collaborations.

The …