When preparing for accreditation, an important area of concern is the type and content of labels used in hematopoietic progenitor cell collection and processing. There is currently no commercially available label that meets FACT/AABB standards and many different forms of labels are used across Canada. The Canadian Blood Services/Ottawa Centre laboratory has developed labels using FACT guidelines that meet such standards as;

• Unique identifier (tracing component from collection to infusion)
• Proper name of component
• Date and time of collection
• Volume of component
• Volume of additives
• Identity of collection and processing facility
• Expiration date
• Storage conditions
• Autologous/Allogeneic

The labeling system consists of a base label with an attached supplementary label used for additional specific processing methods. The reason this method was chosen is because of the many different possible combination of processing methods currently used in the laboratory and also to accommodate future processing technology. Also, the labeling system should be clearly defined in a Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) with examples of completed labels.

Examples:

Base Label

• Bone Marrow - Autologous
• Bone Marrow - Allogeneic
• Peripheral Blood Progenitor Cell - Autologous
• Peripheral Blood Progenitor Cell - Allogeneic

• Cryopreserved
• CD34 Enriched
• CD34 Enriched - Cryopreserved
• T-cell Depleted

Our labels are produced using Microsoft word (other facilities have produced labels using other software) and printed on Avery full sheet labels 8^1/2 X 11 (Cat#05165) for the base labels and Avery Addressing Labels 4 X 1^1/3 (Cat#05162) for the supplementary label. These labels can be printed or photocopied.

To label component;

1. supplementary label is affixed to the base label
2. base label cut/folded and affixed to a tie tag
3. tie tag is attached to component bag using transfer tubing (heat seal loop to join tie tag and component bag)