Collaborators

http://www.sehh.es/es/

The Spanish Hematology and Hemotherapy Society (SEHH) is a non-profit institution whose mission is to safeguard and contribute to the proper development of Hematology and Hemotherapy in Spain, focusing its activities on raising the professional, teaching and research level of its specialists and, therefore, on the continuous improvement of the quality of care that hematologist give to their patients every day. It vision is to be the opinion leader for all the stakeholders in the promotion of care, teaching and research in Hematology and Hemotherapy nationwide and around the world.

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http://www.wmda.info/

The World Marrow Donor Association (WMDA) is a voluntary organisation of representatives of blood stem cell donor registries, cord blood banks, and other organisations and individuals with an interest in blood stem cell transplantation. It provides a forum for discussion of issues regarding the clinical use of blood stem cells from unrelated donors across international boundaries and for formulation of guidelines on logistics, quality control, ethics, finances, information technology and registry accreditation.
WMDA was initiated as a programme in 1988 by three pioneers in the field of transplantation: John Goldman (UK), E. Donnell Thomas (US) and Jon J. van Rood (NL). This led to the foundation of WMDA in 1994. Since then, WMDA has grown into a global association, representing 73 donor registries, 158 cord blood banks, 350 donor centres, and 1,615 transplant hospitals from 52 different countries.

WMDA fosters international collaboration to facilitate the exchange of high quality blood stem cells for clinical transplantation worldwide and to promote the interests of donors. WMDA works towards the goal that high-quality and secure blood stem cell products are available for all patients worldwide while maintaining the health and welfare of the blood stem cell donors.

Nearly 50% of all blood stem cell donations are transported from one country to another. In an attempt to ensure that blood stem cells from another country are safe and can be used for patients in need, WMDA has set up standards regarding the quality of international transplantations. Blood stem cell products from a WMDA qualified or accredited registry originate from a donor who is well-informed about the donation, and who has donated voluntarily. Also, these registries guarantee quality and traceability of their products.

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http://www.ebmt.org/

The European Group for Blood and Marrow Transplantation (EBMT) is a non-profit organisation that was established in 1974 in order to allow scientists and physicians involved in clinical bone marrow transplantation to share their experience and develop co-operative studies. The EBMT is devoted to the promotion of all aspects associated with the transplantation of haematopoietic stem cells from all donor sources and donor types including basic and clinical research, education, standardisation, quality control, and accreditation for transplant procedures.

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http://www.jacie.org/

JACIE's primary aim is to promote high quality patient care and laboratory performance in haematopoietic stem cell collection, processing and transplantation centres through the development of global standards and an internationally recognised system of accreditation.

In 1998, the European Society for Blood and Marrow Transplantation (EBMT) and the International Society for Cellular Therapy (ISCT) established the Joint Accreditation Committee-ISCT & EBMT. Based on the already existing FAHCT (later FACT) programme in the USA, the objective was to offer an inspection-based accreditation process in the field of haematopoietic stem cell (HSC) transplantation against established international standards. The Standards were approved by the EBMT General Assembly during the 1998 Annual Meeting in Courmayeur.

JACIE collaborates with the Foundation for the Accreditation of Cellular Therapy (FACT) to develop and maintain global standards for the provision of quality medical and laboratory practice in cellular therapy. Based on these standards, JACIE offers accreditation to transplant programmes in order to encourage health institutions and facilities performing HSC transplantation to establish and maintain quality management systems impacting on all aspects of their activities and to engage in continuous improvement.

For all purposes, JACIE is a committee of the EBMT. Members are appointed by and are accountable to the EBMT Board.

ISCT is represented through two members of the Committee.

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http://www.netcord.org/

The International NetCord Foundation is a non-profit association of umbilical cord blood banks whose members comprise the largest source of high-quality cord blood grafts for patients in need of hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. Established in 1997, NetCord currently has nearly 35 member banks and registries with an inventory that exceeds 211,000 units, representing about 51% of the global supply of publicly banked cord blood. NetCord banks have released more than 10,434 units of cord blood for transplantation in adults and children.
NetCord sponsors standards and accreditation for umbilical cord blood banks. It also promotes studies and research on cord blood collection processes, the characterization and preservation of cells, ex-vivo expansion of placental and umbilical cord blood, and quality improvement of blood components for clinical cellular therapy.
To ensure high and uniform quality of all cord blood units in its inventory, NetCord began collaboration in 1999 with the Foundation for the Accreditation of Cellular Therapy (FACT). Together in 2000 they published the first NetCord-FACT International Standards for Cord Blood Collection, Processing, Testing, Banking, Selection and Release. New editions of the Standards are published at approximately three-year intervals to keep abreast of the latest developments and requirements of high-quality banking.

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http://www.factwebsite.org/

Founded in 1996, FACT establishes standards and administers a voluntary accreditation for high quality medical and laboratory practice in cellular therapies. FACT is a non-profit corporation co-founded by the International Society for Cellular Therapy (ISCT) and the American Society of Blood and Marrow Transplantation (ASBMT) for the purposes of voluntary inspection and accreditation in the field of cellular therapy.

FACT Standards are evidence-based requirements set by world-renowned experts vested in the improvement and progress of cellular therapy. They are developed by consensus within committees consisting of knowledgeable clinicians, scientists, technologists, and quality experts who represent the entire continuum of cellular therapy product manufacturing and administration. With unparalleled depth and breadth, the Standards trace the entire life of a cell product from donor selection to collection, processing, storage, release, and ultimately administration to a patient. FACT publishes three sets of Standards:

• FACT-JACIE International Standards for Hematopoietic Cellular Therapy Product Collection, Processing, and Administration
• NetCord-FACT International Standards for Cord Blood Collection, Banking, and Release for Administration
• FACT Common Standards for Cellular Therapies

The voluntary FACT accreditation program is founded upon a network of peers helping each other improve cellular therapy practices. Rigorous and comprehensive inspections are balanced with a collegial approach that encourages organizations to achieve a required level of quality for the benefit of patients. Inspectors are volunteers who are international experts in their field with current and practical knowledge of the intent of the requirements. Multiple levels of review and oversight ensure accreditation is awarded consistently, thoroughly, and objectively based upon the international standards. Organizations that achieve FACT accreditation have developed and implemented a foundation of high-quality practices that result in cell products and patient care that are sought after by physicians and patients.

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http://santa.lt/

Vilnius University Hospital Santariskiu Klinikos (Santariškių Klinikos) is one of the major hospitals in Lithuania encompassing the provision of medical care in almost all key areas.

Vilnius University and the Lithuanian Ministry of Health are the founders of Santariškių Klinikos. The activities of the Hospital encompasses practical and scientific medicine, education of students and residents, continuing professional training of medical specialist. Vilnius University Hospital Santariškių Klinikos started its operations as the Republican Vilnius Clinical Hospital in November 1980, when the block of therapy and divisions of diagnostics started working. In 1982, the first patients were admitted to the Consultative Out-patient Department, whereas the block of surgery was opened in 1983.

Santariškių Klinikos has a staff of 5168 employees, including 331 doctors of medical science and 40 habilitated doctors of medical science. Annual provision of around 800,000 ambulatory consultations at Santariškių Klinikos is witnessed. At the hospital of 2373 beds about 83,000 patients undergo treatment and some 30,000 complex operations are performed.

Santariškių Klinikos have 28 centres (can find in Centers and departments). After the reconstruction of the Admission and Emergency Department short-term patient monitoring services with possible rendering of some intervention procedures, if necessary, are provided. At Santariškių Klinikos, heart, cornea, simultaneous, kidney, liver as well as relative and non-relative donor bone-marrow transplantations are performed. Even 85 percent of all organ and tissue transplantations in our country are carried out at the Santariškių Klinikos.

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http://www.moh.gov.cy/moh/moh.nsf/index_en/index_en

The vision of the Ministry of Health of Cyprus is to the provision of high quality services to all citizens throughout their life. Its mission is to ensure that through a patient centred health care system illness prevention is promoted via public awareness, professionalism and respect to patients’ rights, and that health care is equally available to all citizens. Under the Ministry are the Medical and Public Health Services, the Pharmaceutical Services as well as the Nursing Services. Other departments are the hygiene inspectorate, the hospital services inspectorate. Also it acts as the Competent Authority for organs, tissues, cells, blood and medical devices Ministry officials also participate in the newly founded Council for Medically Assisted Reproduction and the Ministry’s inspectors regulate in collaboration with the council this area too. Organ donation is promoted through the Council for Organ Donation, in which also the Ministry of Health participates. The Ministry actively encourages public awareness campaigns for stem cell and tissue donation.

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http://www.cnpma.org.pt/

The Conselho Nacional de Procriação Medicamente Assistida (CNPMA) was established by Law 32/2006 and is responsible for the regulation of the activity of Medically Assisted Reproduction (MAR).

As Competent Authority for ART, CNPMA main purposes relates to settling the conditions under which the centres where the ART techniques are performed should be authorized and inspected. CNPMA centralizes all relevant information about the application of ART techniques, namely register of activities, donors, beneficiaries and children born.

Despite being an independent authority, some regulatory actions are performed in collaboration with other relevant bodies of the Ministry of Health, such as IGAS (General Inspectorate for Health Activities), and DGS (General Directorate for Health).

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