Storing Vaccine in Plasma Freezer

[BCCHLab]

Our rural hospital lab maintains a very small inventory of FFP (usually 2 units) in a continuously monitored plasma freezer with remote alarm. One of the outpatient physicians affiliated with our hospital recently lost a few vials of Varicella vaccine when his freezer malfunctioned over the weekend. The physician has asked if he may store three vials of Varicella vaccine on a separate shelf in our plasma freezer. Is anyone aware of any regulations that would prohibit storing the vaccine in the same freezer as FFP? Thanks!

[Lcsmrz]

I can't think of any regulations forbiding the practice. We are a small site and store reagents,etc in both our refrigerator and freezer. But be aware that the temp ranges for reagents are sometimes different for blood products and non-blood products.

[David Saikin]

There is no regulation against storing "other" things in your blood bank freezer.

[bxcall1]

Our freezers have separate compartments. I donated one of the 5 compartments for storing frozen stuff for the 'send out' department. I never mix product with anything other than product in the same compartment.

If I remember correctly, this was stipulated by an AABB assesor once.

[David Saikin]

The AABB assessor is not always correct (I too am an assessor) . . . there is no regulation stipulating strict sequestration of frozen components from other frozen moieties. While it may be a good practice to do so, it is not always feasible.