ISBT (International Society of Blood Transfusion)

17/08/2026

Join us for next week's webinar!

"From Constraint to Coordination" — safe transfusion support in severe IgA deficiency through multi–blood centre collaboration.

On this webinar you will learn:
✅ Presentation & pathophysiology of anaphylactic transfusion reactions
✅ Clinical challenges in IgA-deficient transfusion support
✅ A real-world multi–blood centre coordination pathway
✅ Systems-based strategies to protect safety & cut wastage

📅 26 Aug | 3–4 PM CEST

Register now — members only 🔗 https://www.isbtweb.org/events/isbt-webinar-from-constraint-to-coordination-delivering-safe-transfusion-support-in-iga-deficiency-through-a-systems-based-multi-blood-centre-approach.html

12/08/2026

Working Together to Advance Paediatric Transfusion 🩸🤝

The ISBT Paediatric Transfusion Subgroup met in person during the ISBT Congress in Kuala Lumpur on 22 June 2026 to discuss the progress of ongoing projects and explore new opportunities for collaboration.

The meeting provided an excellent opportunity for members to share updates, exchange ideas, and shape priorities for the months ahead, all with the shared goal of advancing evidence-based paediatric transfusion practice.

A sincere thank you to everyone who participated and continues to contribute their expertise and dedication to this important work.

Together, we are driving collaboration, innovation, and improved care for paediatric patients worldwide.

More info: https://www.isbtweb.org/isbt-working-parties/clinical-transfusion/working-party-subgroups/paediatrics-subgroups.html

10/08/2026

New on Transfusion Today, Nikasha Williams, Milan Shah, Mahsa Yazdanbakhsh, and Jason Acker map the shift toward direct, single-cell RBC assessment — from FlowScore and AI-driven morphology imaging to deformability cytometry (Naiad, AcCellerator) and single-cell oxygen-exchange kinetics (BloodSpeed).

📖 Read it:

In Focus Towards better analytical tools for blood quality assessmentEmerging technologies to the rescueNikasha WilliamsUniversity of Alberta, Edmonton, Canada Read bio >Milan ShahUniversity of Alberta, Edmonton, CanadaRead bio >Mahsa Yazdanbakhsh University of Alberta, Edmonton, CanadaRead bio >Jas...

05/08/2026

Iron deficiency anaemia in children: an often-missed diagnosis with real transfusion implications.

Despite being one of the most common causes of anaemia worldwide, iron deficiency anaemia in paediatric patients remains under-recognised — often only surfacing at the point of transfusion decision-making.

The ISBT Clinical Transfusion Working Party's Paediatric Transfusion Subgroup is launching a new project to explore current practices and identify gaps in how IDA is recognised and managed in children.

We're looking for members with relevant experience, data, or interest in this area to get involved. If that's you, comment below.

03/08/2026

Welcome back to Mentorship Mondays! 🌟

This week, we continue highlighting inspiring stories from the ISBT Mentorship Programme.

Meet Steve, Transfusion Medicine Specialist at the Cameroon Baptist Convention Health Services, African Regional Representative for the ISBT Global Blood Safety Working Party, member of the African Blood Regulatory Technical Committee of the African Union, Co-Founder of the Transfusion Arena Mentorship (TRAM) Program and Blood Track, and , a senior transfusion medicine professional with over 50 years of experience across clinical, operational, and executive roles.

Through the mentorship programme, Steve gained valuable leadership insights that he now applies across his work with ISBT Academy events, the Global Blood Safety Working Party, Blood Track, and the teams he supports.

A key lesson he carries forward is the importance of systems thinking, clear communication, and investing in the growth of others.

His advice to future mentees: take that step — clarity comes through action.

Swipe through to learn more about Steve’s mentorship journey. ➡️

28/07/2026

27/07/2026

Could umbilical cord blood change the future of neonatal transfusion? 🩸👶
Every drop matters—especially for our smallest patients.

Preterm neonates frequently require red cell transfusions, and emerging research is exploring whether umbilical cord blood red cells could become a safe and innovative alternative in neonatal transfusion. Presently, red blood cells from adult donors are transfused to neonates, which are rich in Haemoglobin A (adult haemoglobin); in contrast, the neonatal red cells are rich in haemoglobin F. The recent BORN trial has shown that transfusion of umbilical cord red blood cells (rich in haemoglobin F) may be beneficial and reduce the risk of complications such as retinopathy of prematurity (ROP).

This promising concept has the potential to reshape transfusion practice, but important challenges remain, including collection, processing, quality control, administration, and scaling up supply. Robust regulatory and governance frameworks will also be essential before widespread clinical adoption.

The future of neonatal transfusion will be built through collaboration, innovation, and evidence-based research. The establishment of the Umbilical Cord Blood (UCB) Red Cell Transfusion Working Group under the ISBT Clinical Transfusion Working Party Paediatric Transfusion Subgroup marks an exciting step forward.

What are your thoughts? Could umbilical cord blood red cells become part of routine neonatal transfusion practice in the future?

22/07/2026

📢 Join us for the next ISBT Live Journal Club!

Acute Unfavourable Transfusion Outcomes in Children: Frequency and Pattern in Resource Limited Settings

🗓️ 29 July 2026
🕒 3:00 PM – 4:00 PM CEST

Transfusion reactions in children remain under-recognised and under-reported, especially in resource-limited settings — with real consequences for young patients. This session will explore the frequency and patterns of acute unfavourable transfusion outcomes in children, equipping blood transfusion practitioners to better recognise, grade, and prevent avoidable reactions.

🎙️ Speaker: Dr Sulem YN Ingrid Worti
🎤 Moderator: Kriti Batni

🔗 Register now and add it to your calendar!

The aim of the webinar is to enable recognition and prevention of avoidable transfusion reactions among children blood receivers in resource limited settings.

15/07/2026

🩸 Help Improve Transfusion Safety for Children Worldwide

Transfusion reactions in paediatric patients don't always look like those in adults — yet robust global data on this vulnerable population remains limited.

The Paediatric Transfusion Subgroup and the Hemovigilance Working Party of the International Society of Blood Transfusion (ISBT) are launching a Global Paediatric Hemovigilance Survey to better understand:

✅ Transfusion-related adverse events in children
✅ Current reporting systems across healthcare settings
✅ Preventive strategies being used worldwide

If you work in transfusion medicine, paediatrics, haematology, blood banking, or hemovigilance, your insights matter. This is a chance to help shape safer transfusion practices for children everywhere.

👉 Take the survey: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/XNZ5JZC

Please share with colleagues in your network to help us reach a diverse, global sample!

Take this survey powered by surveymonkey.com. Create your own surveys for free.

14/07/2026

Have you ever noticed how people stop in front of a scientific poster the way visitors stop in front of the Mona Lisa at the Louvre?

At the Poster Session, every poster told a story—of curiosity, collaboration, and discoveries that help shape the future of transfusion medicine.

This year, we introduced .
Led by experts from , these guided walks took delegates through selected areas of the poster hall. Along the way, poster presenters gave dynamic overviews of their research, answered questions, and sparked engaging discussions.

Sometimes, the best conversations at a congress don't happen in the lecture theatre—they happen standing in front of a poster.

What draws you to a poster at a congress—a compelling title, eye-catching visuals, or the opportunity to speak with the presenter? Share your thoughts in the comments! 👇