Variance from AABB if ISBT Not Ready?

[jhaig]

Our blood supplier has notified us that they will not be ready for the ISBT conversion until at least Jan 1, 2009. They have a variance from AABB and say that each of their facilities also have to have their own AABB variance. Can I take care of this on line and is it a lengthy process? My FDA variance took less than a month, so I hope it's not much longer than that.

[Eagle Eye]

I think you have to mail hard copy. You can not do it online. It takes <4 week to get response.

[Franklyn]

I requested a variance for a similar reason for my facility. The request was denied by the AABB, so good luck.

[Pat Distler]

There is a form to request the variance. You must provide specific information. There is information on how to request this variance on the AABB websiste--look on the left hand side of the home page (www.aabb.org), last item and follow the link. The link for the form is on this second page.

AABB has granted many requests for variance. You can see the list of facilities who have been given a variance by looking in the same area of the AABB home page and looking for List of AABB-Accredited Facilities with Approved Variances for ISBT 128

[jhaig]

After doing some research, it appears AABB is not approving variances for facilities whose blood supplier is not ready to provide ISBT 128 labeled products. Their logic is that facilities need to be ready to receive products with both Codabar and ISBT 128 products regardless of whether or not the supplier can actually do so.