Transfusion medicine handbook

2. Collection, Testing and Processing of Blood Donation

2.12 Processing of Collected Blood to Fractionated Products

Fractionated products, also known as plasma derivatives, are partially purified therapeutic preparations of plasma proteins. They are manufactured in large-scale pharmaceutical processes from large volumes of source plasma. For example, each batch of Privigen NZ typically uses 9 - 12 tonnes of plasma (from the equivalent of 16,500 plasmapheresis donations).

All of the plasma obtained by NZBS through the collection of whole blood, together with approximately 80% of the apheresis plasma, is forwarded to CSL Behring in Melbourne for the manufacture of fractionated products.

Product labelling      
Fractionated products are identified by both the carton packaging and labels of the product container. Included with every product is an insert provided by the manufacturer with detailed information concerning the product relating to its composition, indication for use and administration.

Blood bank labelling
All fractionated products issued to a patient have a computer-generated swing label attached that provides details of the patient and product batch number. This swing label is used in the bedside check of the patient’s identity and then placed in the clinical notes as a record of transfusion.