AABB


AABB is an associtation founded in the United States in 1947 as the American Association of Blood Banks. In 2005, the association changed its name to AABB to reflect the changes in its scope and operations. Its current focus includes transfusion medicine as well as cellular therapies, particularly those utilizing hematopoietic stem cells.
AABB works with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and provides technical input into the development of regulations involving blood for the United States. Virtually all major blood banks in the United States are accredited by AABB and more than 80 percent of hospital transfusion services in the U.S. are members. Accreditation by AABB meets the requirements of the Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments for blood bank, transfusion service, and immunohematology reference laboratory operations.
The association hosts an Annual Meeting every fall, an event for the dissemination of research and information related to transfusion medicine and cellular therapies. The association publishes a monthly magazine, a weekly newsletter, and a peer-reviewed research journal titled Transfusion. AABB publishes a variety of other related materials, including the standards by which it accredits institutions.
Since 1953, the organization has also operated a National Blood Exchange to facilitate transfers of blood between blood banks during shortages or when rare blood types are required.
On June 1, 2018, Debra BenAvram, FASAE, CAE, was appointed its new Chief Executive Officer.