We have been approached by a reagent red cell manufacturer called Medion diagnostics, their products are FDA approved and their pricing is better than Ortho's and Immucor's. I was told that they are the people from Dade. Is anyone familiar with them?

Gloria,

The only product from them I am familiar with is their Datacyte panel. Our blood center purchases this panel from Olympus. We primarily use this for antisera QC or as a backup panel for rule outs.

From what I understand it is the same manufacturer, but now they also have a distributor selling reverse cells, screening cells (two and three cells), Coombs control cells, the panel and a QC kit

The DataCyte panel is produced in Switzerland, I believe. I use it. It has an interesting antigen configuration, but is a helpful adjunct to my Immucor panel. Olympus distributes it.

We have been using their Coomb Control Cells and the Reversecyte products for a while and have not experienced any problems.

I have noted, with interest, that Medion (and Ortho) are currently the only Manufacturers that ship products in cooler packs. What message does this send re: product stability and potential QC problems?

I don't think that has anything to do with product stability. I know for a fact that Immucor had problems in the past with hemolysis during summer months due to the heat. The cooler packs may just be their way of preventing that.