New pooled platelet product coming this year

We are excited to announce that Carter BloodCare will be offering a new platelet product this year that will help us better meet the needs of our community. The FDA-approved IMUGARD WB Platelet Pooling set from Terumo will be used to leukocyte-reduce, pool and store whole-blood derived (WBD) platelets. The great advantage of this system over our current pool and store system is that it allows for platelet storage up to day seven in the Terumo BCT ELP (Extended Life Platelet) storage bag, instead of the current five-day shelf life. Those two additional days of availability will help alleviate platelet inventory shortages that might occur throughout the year, such as during summer months and holidays when donor turnout is lower.

Carter BloodCare has determined that a pool of five whole-blood derived platelets has the equivalent platelet dose as a single-donor apheresis platelet. The five WBD platelets will be grouped by ABO type and, if possible, also by Rh type. The leukoreduction and pooling will occur the day after whole blood collection. On day two, a sample will be collected from each pooled product for bacterial detection and the pools will then be stored up to seven days based on the oldest unit in the pool. As both Imugard platelets and apheresis platelets have the same platelet dose, the goal will be to use the two products interchangeably as much as possible based on inventory and patient needs.

We anticipate implementing the switch from Acrodose to Imugard on August 29, 2023.