Bleeding disorders

Our role with bleeding disorders

Bleeding disorders affect how the body controls blood clotting.

When blood doesn't clot enough, a person can bleed too much after an injury or surgery. When blood clots too much, it can lead to other conditions, like thrombotic disorders.

The main bleeding disorders are:

• haemophilia A – deficiency in coagulation factor VIII
• haemophilia B – deficiency in coagulation factor IX
• von Willebrand disease – deficiency in von Willebrand factor.

There are a number of other rarer bleeding disorders, too.

Under the National Blood Agreement, we make arrangements for the national supply of blood products.

Our work helps bleeding disorder patients to have safe, secure and affordable blood, blood products and services.

Find out more about bleeding disorders(Opens in a new tab/window).

Blood and blood products

We secure Australia's blood supply by:

• budgeting and planning to meet clinical needs
• assessing supply risks
• contingency planning
  
• doing annual supply plans
• negotiating contracts for a sustainable blood supply.

This helps patients to have access to the products they need, at no cost to patients, when they need them.

Learn about our suppliers and commercial supply contracts.

Australian Bleeding Disorders Registry (ABDR) and MyABDR

We manage the ABDR. The ABDR is a database used to collect information on bleeding disorders. It supports staff in Haemophilia Treatment Centres (HTCs) to:

• manage how they treat bleeding disorders in patients
• understand bleeding disorder rates in Australia.

The data also help governments with managing Australia's blood product supply.

MyABDR is a free and secure app connected to the ABDR. You use it to record bleeds and treatments in the ABDR for yourself or a person in your care.

Learn more about the MyABDR app and the ABDR.

Haemophilia Treatment Centres

Haemophilia Treatment Centres (HTCs) have staff who care for people with bleeding disorders. They are usually within a hospital.

In a HTC, you get:

• preventative care
• general treatment on complex aspects of haemophilia
• treatment by a coordinated, multi-disciplinary team.

Find your nearest HTC(Opens in a new tab/window) through the Australian Haemophilia Centre Directors' Organisation website.

More support for people with bleeding disorders

These organisations advocate for and support bleeding disorder patients.

• Haemophilia Foundation Australia(Opens in a new tab/window) is the national peak body representing people with bleeding disorders. It also coordinates some health professional groups(Opens in a new tab/window).
• Australian Haemophilia Centre Directors' Organisation(Opens in a new tab/window) (AHCDO) is the national medical body for haemophilia.

Get in touch

If you have a query about our role with bleeding disorders in Australia, please contact us.