International Society of Blood Transfusion
The International Society of Blood Transfusion (ISBT), also known as La Société Internationale de Transfusion Sanguine (SITS), is a scientific society, founded in 1935, which aims to promote the study of blood transfusion, and to spread the know-how about the manner in which blood transfusion medicine and science best can serve the patient's interests. The society's central office is in Amsterdam, but there are members in 85 countries[1]. As of May 2008, the President is Professor Shigeru Takamato of Aichi Medical University[2] and the Secretary-General is Dr. Paul F.W. Strengers of the CLB Blood Bank in Amsterdam[3].
The society organizes international conferences and advocates standardisation and harmonisation in the field of blood transfusion. A recent example is a standardized bar coding system for blood for transfusion: the ISBT 128 standard for blood products. Blood banks in the United States have been expected to use this standard as of May 2008 to meet AABB Standards[4]. It is also used in the United Kingdom [5], Germany[6], and other countries.
The other major impact on the transfusion community is the classification of various Human blood group systems under a common nomenclature. ISBT's coordination also extends to obtaining donors with rare antigens, a process that often involves international searches, and a common terminology is critical to that process.
ISBT also collects and distributes funds for research involving blood and transfusion activities, including research in developing countries[7]. Through Blackwell publishing the society manages a research journal entitled Vox Sanguinis, often cited as "Vox Sang"[8]
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