Vendor Sponsored Studies

The Scientific Affairs group establishes and maintains continued financial support from our vendor partners and government contracts to conduct research studies and clinical trials focused on current and emerging transfusion-transmitted infectious disease agents. Our group has access to normal (infectious disease marker-negative) and marker-reactive blood samples representing a broad and geographically diverse population of the US, which can be utilized for potential new studies. Data supporting the characterization of our materials are available upon request. Data derived from these studies are used to support blood screening assay and pathogen reduction technology development, to affect policy decision making with respect to donor and recipient safety, and to recommend appropriate interventions as needed.

The Transfusion Innovation Department supports strategic research in line with the American Red Cross Mission.  In addition to internal research and support, the Transfusion Innovation Teams at the Holland Laboratories and the Norfolk Clinical Research Laboratory collaborate with multiple commercial organizations in the product development lifecycle of new and modified medical devices, technologies and processes for the collection, manufacture, storage, and testing of blood products according to industry standards and in support of FDA licensure.

This includes contract research for FDA licensing studies (including radiolabeling in vivo procedures) for new blood products, new storage containers, platelet and red cell additive solutions, leukoreduction, irradiation, frozen blood, lyophilized blood, cell processing and washing, anaerobic storage and pathogen inactivation.