PROGRESS ON ICBS COUNTRY PROJECTS

ICBS' assistance to a developing country is usually based on Memoranda of Understanding (MOUs) signed by the Ministry of Health in that country and ICBS, after assessing and analyzing the blood safety situation. The MOUs define the type of projects to be implemented in accordance to action plans which in turn define the particular tasks allocated to the respective individuals that need to be completed within a certain time frame, the resources needed and the expected outcome. All projects and support aim at attaining ICBS goals.

ICBS MASTER PANELS

ICBS is in the process of establishing fully characterized ICBS Master Panels of plasma samples positive for HCV, HBV, HIV and normal plasma, composed of 200 members each and equally distributed among all major known genotypes and subtypes of each virus. The plasma units used to establish these Master Panels are resourced from wide geographic origins.  The establishment of the first phase of the HCV Panels was completed in September 2002

These Panels will serve towards the proper evaluation of diagnostic kits to determine individual test kit performance criteria. The ICBS Panels would serve as an alternative, independent, "real world" panels in comparison to other panels that currently exist.

ICBS BLOOD SCREENING TEST
EVALUATION CENTER

One of the major focused goals of the International Consortium for Blood Safety (ICBS) is to make available a sustainable supply of affordable, high quality, screening reagents to developing countries. In order to achieve this goal, ICBS recognized the necessity of establishing a "Blood Screening Test Evaluation Center".