| Acquired hypogammaglobulinaemia |
See http://www.nba.gov.au/ivig/pdf/criteria.pdf |
| Acquired immunodeficiency syndrome |
See http://www.nba.gov.au/ivig/pdf/criteria.pdf |
| Albumin |
The main protein in human blood and the key to the regulation of the osmotic pressure of plasma. It is extracted from blood and manufactured into an intravenously administered product |
| allogeneic transfusion |
A transfusion of product taken from different individuals of the same species |
| amino acids |
One of the 21 building blocks of protein |
| anaemia |
A medical condition in which the haemoglobin is less than normal. For men, anaemia is typically defined as haemoglobin level of less than 13.5 gram/100ml and in women less than 12.0 gram/100ml |
| anti-Rh(D) immunoglobulin therapy |
The provision of product containing Anti-Rh(D) immunoglobulin, to prevent Rhesus sensitisation in Rh(D) negative females at or below child-bearing age |
| apheresis |
A procedure in which blood is cycled out into a machine, one or more components are selectively removed, and the remainder of the blood is reinfused back into the donor |
| assay |
An analysis undertaken to determine the presence of a substance and the amount of that substance |
| bleeding disorders |
Diseases that cause abnormal or exaggerated bleeding and poor blood clotting |
| blood products |
Products manufactured from donated blood |
| Blood Service |
The Australian Red Cross Blood Service |
| capillary leak syndrome |
A rare medical condition where the number and size of the pores in the capillaries are increased which leads to a leakage of fluid from the blood to the interstitial fluid, resulting in low blood pressure, oedema and multiple organ failure due to limited perfusion |
| Chagas disease |
An infection caused by a protozoan parasite (Trypanosoma cruzi) that can result in acute inflammatory skin changes |
| Chikungunya |
A disease resembling dengue fever, seen mainly in Africa, the Indian subcontinent, and Southeast Asia, caused by an arbovirus transmitted by Aedes mosquitoes |
| Chronic fatigue syndrome |
A complex disorder characterized by profound fatigue that is not improved by bed rest and that may be worsened by physical or mental activity |
| Chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy |
See http://www.nba.gov.au/ivig/pdf/criteria.pdf |
| critical bleeding |
Major haemorrhage that is life threatening and is likely to result in the need for massive transfusion and/or haemorrhage of a smaller volume in a critical area or organ (e.g. intracranial, intraspinal or intraocular), resulting in patient morbidity or mortality |
| Cytomegalovirus |
A member of the herpesvirus group |
| Dengue |
A disease caused by a family of viruses that are transmitted by mosquitoes. It is an acute illness of sudden onset that usually follows a benign course with symptoms such as headache, fever, exhaustion, severe muscle and joint pain |
| Desmopressin |
A drug used to treat mild von Willebrand’s disease |
| diagnostic reagent products |
Products used in blood typing and cross matching |
| Direct Orders |
(previously known as Jurisdictional Direct Orders) Arrangements implemented by the NBA with suppliers to facilitate the purchase of IVIg for the treatment of conditions not satisfying the Criteria |
| Erythropoietin |
A substance produced by the kidney that leads to the formation of red blood cells in the bone marrow |
| follow-on biologics |
A term used to describe officially-approved subsequent versions of innovator biopharmaceutical products made by a different sponsor following patent and exclusivity expiry on the innovator product |
| fractionation |
Blood plasma fractionation refers to the general processes of separating the various components of blood plasma |
| fresh whole blood |
Fresh blood contains red blood cells, white cells and platelets suspended in a straw-coloured liquid known as plasma |
| Guillian-Barré syndrome |
See http://www.nba.gov.au/ivig/pdf/criteria.pdf |
| Haemoglobin |
A molecule in red blood cells that transports molecular oxygen |
| haemoglobin-based oxygen carriers |
A type of blood substitute |
| Haemophilia A |
Classic haemophilia: an inherited blood coagulation disorder that results from a quantitative deficiency of Factor VIII, a blood clotting protein necessary for normal coagulation |
| Haemophilia B |
An inherited blood coagulation disorder similar to haemophilia A but caused by a quantitative deficiency of Factor IX |
| haemostasis |
The cessation of bleeding through clot formation, platelet plug formation and vasoconstriction |
| haemovigilance |
A set of surveillance procedures covering the transfusion chain, intended to collect and assess information on unexpected or undesirable effects resulting from the therapeutic use of labile blood products, and to prevent their occurrence or recurrence |
| Hereditary angiodema |
A rare genetic disorder caused by a deficiency in a blood protein, that can cause rapid swelling of the face and other parts of the body |
| human leucocyte antigen |
The human leucocyte antigen system (HLA) is the name of the major histocompatibility complex (MHC) in humans |
| Hyperimmunes |
Products used to provide rapid passive immunity in the post exposure period |
| Hypoproliferative thrombocytopenia |
See http://www.nba.gov.au/ivig/pdf/criteria.pdf |
| Idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura |
See http://www.nba.gov.au/ivig/pdf/criteria.pdf |
| IgG2 levels |
See http://www.nba.gov.au/ivig/pdf/criteria.pdf |
| immune replacement therapy |
See http://www.nba.gov.au/ivig/pdf/criteria.pdf |
| immune tolerance induction |
See http://www.nba.gov.au/ivig/pdf/criteria.pdf |
| immunodeficiency diseases |
See http://www.nba.gov.au/ivig/pdf/criteria.pdf |
| in-country reserve |
A contractual requirement for blood product suppliers to the NBA for maintenance of a specified volume of product in Australia |
| infectious window period |
The time between first infection and when a test can reliably detect that infection. In antibody-based testing, the window period is dependent on the time taken for sero-conversion |
| intravenous immunoglobulin |
A product provided under the national blood arrangements to reduce susceptibility to infections and manage many immune system disorders |
| iron deficiency |
A common disorder, sometimes nutritional, which results in anaemia as iron is necessary to make haemoglobin |
| issues/issuage |
The volume of a particular product provided to Approved Health Providers in a jurisdiction under the National Blood Arrangements |
| jurisdiction |
A signatory to the National Blood Agreement. This includes the Australian Government and all state and territory governments |
| lean body weight dosing |
Dosing regimes using lean body weight calculations |
| leucodepletion |
The removal of white cells from a blood product |
| leucocytes/leukocytes |
White cells in the blood |
| Malaria |
An infectious disease transmitted by the bite of an infected Anopheles mosquito |
| massive transfusion |
In adults, ‘massive transfusion’ may be defined as a transfusion of half of one blood volume in 4 hours, or more than one blood volume in 24 hours (adult blood volume is approximately 70 mL/kg). In children, ‘massive transfusion’ may be defined as a transfusion of more than 40 mL blood/kg. |
| mg |
Milligram |
| monoclonal antibody |
Monospecific antibodies that are all identical, arising from a single lymphocyte cell clone |
| National Blood Agreement |
The Agreement signed by all governments in 2003 that sets out the objectives for governments for the management of the blood sector |
| National Blood Supply Contingency Plan |
A plan approved by ministers to coordinate an appropriate response to a shortage of blood or blood products |
| National Product Price List |
The price of all products supplied under the national blood arrangements approved by ministers |
| national reserve products |
Products held in the national reserve managed by CSL to mitigate against an interruption to supply |
| National Supply Plan and Budget |
The agreed volume of products to be supplied under the national blood arrangements approved by ministers |
| nitric oxide scavenging |
An adverse impact of blood substitutes |
| nucleic acid testing |
A biochemical technique used to detect a virus or a bacterium |
| off-label use |
The practice of prescribing pharmaceuticals for an unapproved indication, in an unapproved age group, unapproved dose, or unapproved form of administration |
| orphan drug designation |
A pharmaceutical agent that has been developed specifically to treat a rare medical condition (referred to as an ‘orphan disease’) |
| output-based finding model |
A funding arrangement whereby the supplier is paid for product receipted, rather than on a grant basis |
| Parvovirus B19 |
A virus infection characterised by low-grade fever, fatigue, a ‘slapped cheeks rash’ and a rash over the whole body. Parvovirus B19 can temporarily decrease or halt the body’s production of red blood cells, causing anaemia |
| pathogen inactivation technology |
Pathogen inactivation is a method for treating blood products that inactivates existing or unknown pathogens that may be present in blood components |
| patient blood management |
The process of improving the status of the patient’s own blood using non-transfusion methods with the consequence that transfusions and the associated risks of transfusion are avoided |
| Peptides |
A molecule consisting of two or more amino acids |
| perioperative settings |
The period of time extending from when the patient goes into hospital, clinic, or doctor’s office for surgery or a procedure, until the time the patient is discharged |
| pharmacokinetic dosing indicators |
Dosing levels indicated by evidence from pharmacokinetic studies |
| plasma |
The liquid part of the blood and lymphatic fluid, which makes up approximately half of its volume. Blood plasma contains antibodies and other proteins. It is taken from donors and made into products for a variety of blood-related conditions |
| platelets |
An irregular, disc-shaped element in the blood that assists in blood clotting. During normal blood clotting, the platelets clump together (aggregate) |
| prion |
An infectious agent composed primarily of protein |
| prion filtration |
The removal of prions from blood |
| prophylaxis |
A treatment designed and used to prevent an episode or worsening of disease from occurring |
| r |
The prefix ‘r’ means recombinant |
| recombinant products |
Synthetic or manufactured blood products (as opposed to products derived from plasma) |
| red blood cells |
The blood cell that carries oxygen. Red cells contain haemoglobin and it is the haemoglobin which permits them to transport oxygen (and carbon dioxide) |
| Rh(D) haemolytic anaemia |
Anaemia due to haemolysis, the abnormal breakdown of red blood cells either in the blood vessels or elsewhere in the body |
| Rh(D) haemolytic disease |
An alloimmune condition that develops in a foetus, when the IgG molecules (one of the five main types of antibodies) produced by the mother pass through the placenta |
| sequaelae |
A pathological condition resulting from a prior disease, injury, or attack |
| Sickle cell disease |
A type of anaemia associated with the presence of haemoglobin S |
| Specific Antibody Deficiency |
See http://www.nba.gov.au/ivig/pdf/criteria.pdf |
| Thrombosis |
The formation or presence of a thrombus (a clot of coagulated blood) in a blood vessel or cardiac chamber |
| tolerisation |
Some patients with haemophilia have antibodies (inhibitors) to transfused clotting factors (e.g. Factor VIII). Tolerisation is a treatment regimen aiming to reduce or eliminate those inhibitors |
| toll manufacturing agreements |
Arrangements in which a firm with specialised equipment processes raw materials or semi manufactured goods for another company. In the blood sector these arrangements are used to process plasma from specific countries into products for that country |
| transfusion-transmitted infection |
An infection that can be transmitted via transfusion |
| variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease |
A rare, degenerative, fatal brain disorder in humans |
| vasoconstriction |
Narrowing of the blood vessels resulting from contracting of the muscular wall of the vessels |
| von Willebrand disease |
An inherited bleeding disorder in which a clotting protein called von Willebrand factor is deficient or defective |
| West Nile virus |
The mosquito-borne virus that causes West Nile fever |
| Xenotropic murine leukaemia virus |
A virus from the Retroviridae family and the genus gammaretrovirus. It has a single-stranded RNA genome that replicates through a DNA intermediate |
| Yellow fever |
An acute systemic illness caused by a virus from the Flavivirus genus |