ABDR - Australian Bleeding Disorders Registry
ACSQHC - Australian Commission of Safety and Quality in Health Care
ACT - Australian Capital Territory
AHCDO - Australia Haemophilia Centre Directors’ Organisation
AHMAC - Australian Health Ministers’ Advisory Council
AHMC - Australian Health Ministers’ Conference
AHP - approved health providers
ANAO - Australian National Audit Office
ANZSBT - Australia and New Zealand Society of Blood Transfusion
APS - Australian Public Service
ARCBS - Australian Red Cross Blood Service (the Blood Service)
AWA - Australian Workplace Agreement
BSE - Bovine spongiform encephalopathy
CAFA - CSL Australian Fractionation Agreeement
CEO - Chief executive officer
CHERE - Centre for Health Economics Research Evaluation
CSL Limited - Now the name of a private company; the name derives from
its earlier existence as the Commonwealth Serum Laboratories
CTEPC - Clinical, Technical and Ethical Principal Committee
DIF - dual inactivation and nanofiltration
DoHA - Department of Health and Ageing
ERIC - Electronic Returns Information Capture (Blood Service)
FEIBA - Factor Eight Inhibitor Bypass Agent
FFP/FP - fresh frozen plasma/frozen plasma
FVIII - Factor eight
FX - Factor ten
GST - goods and services tax
HAA - annual scientific meeting of the HAA—Haematology Society of Australia and New Zealand—HSANZ, the Australian & New Zealand Society of Blood Transfusion—ANZSBT, and the Australasian Society of Thrombosis and Haemostasis—ASTH
HAC - Haemovigilance Advisory Committee
HFA - Haemophilia Foundation of Australia
HFNSW - Haemophilia Foundation of New South Wales
HIV - human immunodeficiency virus
HSMA - Health and Safety Management Arrangements
HTC - haemophilia treatment centres
IDMS - Integrated Data Management System
IgG - immunoglobulin
IPS - Information Publication Scheme
ITP - Idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura
IVIg - intravenous immunoglobulin
IU - International unit
JBC - Jurisdictional Blood Committee
KPI - key performance indicator
kWh - kilowatt hour
MSAC - Medical Services Advisory Committee
NASH - National Authentication Service for Health
NAT - nucleic acid test
NBA - National Blood Authority
NBSCP - National Blood Supply Contingency Plan
NEHTA - National E Health Transition Authority
NF - nanofiltration
NHMRC - National Health and Medical Research Council
NIg - Normal immunoglobulin
NIH - National Institutes of Health (USA)
NIMS - National IVIg Management System
NIRG - National Indemnity Reference Group
NMF - National Managed Fund
NSQHS - National Safety and Quality Health Service
NSP&B - National Supply Plan and Budget
NT - Northern Territory
ORBS - Ordering and Receipting Blood System
PBM - Patient blood management
PBMC - Patient Blood Management Committee
Red Cross - The Australian Red Cross Society
rFVIIa - recombinant Factor seven (A)
QLD - Queensland
rFVIII - recombinant Factor eight (clotting factor)
rFIX - recombinant Factor nine (clotting factor)
SA - South Australia
SaBTO - Advisory Committee on the Safety of Blood, Tissues and Organs (UK)
SCIg - Subcutaneous Immunoglobulin
SCoH - Standing Council on Health
(formerly the Australian Ministers’ Health Conference)
SES - Senior Executive Service
TAS - Tasmania
TGA - Therapeutic Goods Administration
TXA - tranexamic acid
vCJD - Variant Creutzfeldt-Jacob Disease
vWD - von Willebrand disease
WA - Western Australia
WHO - World Health Organization
| 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 |
| Alzheimer’s disease | The most common form of dementia, a neurological disease resulting in impaired memory thinking and behaviour |
| 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 |
| bovine spongiform encephalopathy | Commonly known as mad cow disease, is a fatal neurodegenerative disease in cattle that causes spongy degeneration in the brain and spinal column |
| Chagas disease | An infection caused by a protozoan parasite (Trypanosoma cruzi) that can result in acute inflammatory skin changes |
| 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 |
| deferral | Postponement of blood donation due to current or potential prior exposure to infection. In some cases the deferral may be permanent (e.g. people resident in the UK for more than 6 months between 1980 and 1996) |
| 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 |
| 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 for the clinical use of IVIg in Australia |
| 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 |
| genome | The entire genetic complement, all of the hereditary material possessed by an organism |
| 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 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 | Immunoglobulin administered intravenously (as opposed to intramuscular or sub-cutaneous injection), 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 |
| 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 |
| nonsense mutation | A nonsense mutation is a change in the DNA sequence resulting in either the production of mRNA (the ‘instructions’ from the gene) that does not then produce (code for) a peptide, or causes the premature signal to stop mRNA production |
| normal immunoglobulin | Immunoglobulin administered by intramuscular injection (as opposed to intravenous or sub-cutaneous injection). The product is approved in Australia for use in the management of hypogammaglobulinaemia and for public health purposes to treat susceptible contacts of hepatitis A, measles and poliomyelitis |
| 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 funding model | A funding arrangement whereby the supplier is paid for product receipted, rather than on a grant basis |
| 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 |
| peri-operative 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 |
| 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) |
| pluripotent stem cell | A stem cell with the capacity to differentiate into cells of all germ layers (endoderm, ectoderm and mesoderm) and usually derived from early embryos or embryonic germ cells |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| sub-cutaneous immunoglobulin | Immunoglobulin administered by injection into the layer of skin directly below the dermis and epidermis (as opposed to intravenous or intramuscular injection). Not currently approved under the national blood arrangements |
| Thalassaemia | A blood disorder passed down through families in which the body makes an abnormal form of haemoglobin, the protein in red blood cells that carries oxygen. The disorder results in excessive destruction of red blood cells, which leads to anaemia |
| 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 |
| 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 |