Product expiration

[BANKTECH]

If a product expires at a given time, such as today at 8pm. Does this mean the product must be issued before 8pm or the product must be transfused before 8pm. If anyone knows of any references regarding this question, please let me know. Thanks so much!!!

[David Saikin]

I've seen this answered both ways. some feel the product should be infused before the exp date/time; others that it should be signed out before then . . . I had a pathologist whose comment was: "It doesn't turn to mud at midnight".

[R1R2]

I took it to mean that it must be issued by expiration (per the FDA regs, I think, but don't quote me). However, the new AABB 28th Standards has reworded Administration of Blood and Blood Components 5.26.3 #5 "The unit has not expired". It does not say that it must be completed before expiration. Bottom line, if you issue close to expiration, make sure that transfusionist can begin transfusion before expiration.

R1R2

[goodchild]

This question is asked very frequently by nurses in the NICU. The aliquots have a 4 hour expiration time. We have always been under the impression that if the product reaches its expiration time during the course of the transfusion that's not a big deal. The electronic transfusion documentation that we use however, is not very happy.

[Eagle Eye]

NEW CIRCULAR OF INFORMATION----"13. Transfusion should be started before component expiration and completed within 4 hours."

I am only concerned when the patient has transfusion recation reported to the component which is already expired ...so we give out the component in sucha way that the transfusion gets completed before expiration.

[tbostock]

As far as I know, the Circular of Information reference above is the only one that exists. Everyone else is pretty vague about it. So that's what I do here, as long as it is started before the exp date/time, it's OK.

[Mabel Adams]

I think ask the FDA answered this a couple of years ago and said that the unit must be issued and I think started before expiration. I want to say the same question was made of the Standards committee and I think they wanted it completely infused before expiration. I can't quite remember now. Medically, it probably doesn't make much difference (i.e. doesn't turn to mud) unless someone really abuses the situation (like an aliquot issued minutes before expiration then hung for 6 hours instead of 4).