Scotblood 2012: Transfusion/transplant medicine in the 2nd decade of the 21st century

Transfusion medicine is a technology-based discipline, undergoing continual changes for improvement. It requires staff at all levels to be continually educated and trained in appropriate multidisciplinary skills, in line with the rapid developments in all areas of transfusion practice: from blood/organ collection, through processing and storage to the more advanced cellular and hospital-based transfusion/transplantation therapies.Whilst the majority of the challenges to improve hospital and general transfusion practice can be overcome through team work, education, timely objectives and perseverance, it is important to envisage opportunities for implementing digital technologies to reduce all of the applicable hazards associated with transfusion. These can vary widely from new and emerging pathogens to limitations of supply due to growing demographic changes in populations. In the first decade of 21st century we have already witnessed unprecedented advances in haematopoietic stem cell transplantation to minimise the toxicities of graft versus host disease (GvHD), and in cell therapy to explore immunotherapy against cancer and other malignant disorders. Today there are 1000 genome project hapmaps that only the extreme cost of their implementation to routine practices may limit. Transfusion medicine, like all disciplines of medicine, nevertheless, will face difficult choices between increasing healthcare technology and increasing worldwide health. Drs. Colligan and McGowan, the new lead organisers of this wonderful yearly educational programme have agreed to follow the previous organisers’ strategy to make a summary report of their meeting to become available, through TRASCI to broader interested groups, with the sprit that “sharing is caring”. The main highlights of the 2012 conference were: targeting transfusion practices in hospital, a continuing journey; emerging infections and the potential causes and possible remedial actions; building for the future; the challenging issues of donor recruitment/retention; and finally; the application of Information Technology as a decision making tool, utilising clinical audit monitoring to evaluate good practice. This year’s conference also coincided with the retirement of Martin Bruce OBE, after his 41 years distinguished career, who gave the most delightful and humorous talk of a” life time of learning” which delighted all the participants. Finally, 2012 also marked the retirements of the previous lead Scotblood organisers Prof. Robin Fraser and Dr. Hagop Bessos after over thirty years service to SNBTS, and to whom we would like to dedicate this meeting report and wish them a happy and healthy retirement.This commentary comprises summaries of the presentations, based in part on the abstracts provided by the speakers.