NSW: Plasma wasted after quality control breakdown

AAP General News (Australia)
08-24-2001
NSW: Plasma wasted after quality control breakdown

SYDNEY, Aug 24 AAP - Donations of plasma from up to 10,000 people were wasted early
this year after a federal regulator barred five tonnes of plasma processed by a Melbourne-based
company.

The Australian reports today that CSL, the world's third-biggest blood-products company,
was forced to freeze a batch of the donated blood after a breakdown in quality control
at its blood-fractionation plant in January.

The mishap meant Australian plasma donations might have been mixed with plasma donations
from foreign countries where blood is not as rigorously screened for diseases, the newspaper
stated.

CSL managing director Brian McNamee said the loss was "significant" and cost the company
approximately 2 per cent of its revenue.

AAP kp/rs

KEYWORD: PLASMA

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