Transfusion medicine handbook

7. Adverse Effects of Transfusion

7.1 Overview

Good clinical practice depends on understanding both the benefits and risks that transfusion may carry. Also, it is essential to consider the potential benefits and risks of not using a blood component or fractionated product, or of using an alternative.

Blood transfusion has become safer as infectious hazards have been identified and donor selection procedures, viral screening tests and platelet pre-release bacterial culture systems have been introduced. There has also been continuous improvement in manufacturing processes for fractionated products.

Although much effort is put into ensuring the safety of transfusion, preventable clerical errors and inappropriate transfusion still account for a significant proportion of transfusion-related adverse events.

Data on the occurrence of adverse reactions and other adverse events associated with the transfusion process are collected through NZBS Haemovigilance.