Oct. 23, 2011
Working together to establish a global accreditation program for clinics and facilities providing cell-based medical therapies
The International Cellular Medicine Society (ICMS) and AABB (formerly the American Association of Blood Banks) announced an alliance today under which the two organizations will explore working together to establish a global accreditation program for clinics and facilities providing cell-based medical therapies. The accreditation, based on the standards established by ICMS and the processes developed by the AABB, significantly expands the existing scope of peer review in cellular therapies. This collaboration, announced at the AABB Annual Meeting in San Diego, seeks to increase the transparency of facilities and of treatments being offered to empower patients to make an informed healthcare decision.
“This partnership brings together two organizations that are committed to ensuring the highest level of patient safety in cellular medicine,” said David B. Audley, the executive director and CEO of the ICMS, the global leader in the physician education and standards for the practice of cell-based medicine. “Working together, the ICMS and AABB will provide a new model for the oversight of clinics and transparency for cell-based therapies.”
"AABB is recognized worldwide for its accreditation program and its commitment to quality in transfusion medicine and cellular therapies," said Karen Shoos Lipton, JD, CEO of AABB. "AABB’s partnership with ICMS can only enhance patient safety and outcomes. AABB’s Accreditation Program has been accredited by the International Society for Quality in Healthcare (ISQua), a designation held by only two accrediting bodies in North America."
Moving forward, both organizations will identify individuals to form a work group to translate the standards developed by ICMS into requirements for the accreditation program. Several facilities have been identified as the pilot sites for the accreditation process with implementation planned for Spring 2012.
*****
About the International Cellular Medicine Society
The ICMS, a professional medical association, is dedicated to the advancement of adult stem cell based medicine. The Society is 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that provides best practices guidelines for the practice of cell based medicine, manages a first of its kind Treatment Registry to outcomes from cell based therapies and oversees a global accreditation program for stem cell clinics. The Society maintains two websites, www.CellMedicineSociety.org that is focused on research and education for physicians and www.StemCellWatch.com, a portal for patient awareness and education.
About AABB
AABB was established in 1947 and is an international, not-for-profit association representing individuals and institutions involved in the field of transfusion medicine and cellular therapies. The association is committed to improving health by developing and delivering standards, accreditation and educational programs that focus on optimizing patient and donor care and safety.
AABB membership consists of nearly 2,000 institutions and 8,000 individuals, including physicians, nurses, scientists, researchers, administrators, medical technologists and other health care providers. Members are located in more than 80 countries.
The AABB Accreditation program promotes the highest standards of care for both patients and donors in all aspects of blood banking, transfusion medicine, relationship testing, hematopoietic, cord blood and other cellular therapies. In June 1995, and most recently in May of 2008, AABB was granted “deemed status” as an accrediting organization under the Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments of 1988 (CLIA).
Working together to establish a global accreditation program for clinics and facilities providing cell-based medical therapies
The International Cellular Medicine Society (ICMS) and AABB (formerly the American Association of Blood Banks) announced an alliance today under which the two organizations will explore working together to establish a global accreditation program for clinics and facilities providing cell-based medical therapies. The accreditation, based on the standards established by ICMS and the processes developed by the AABB, significantly expands the existing scope of peer review in cellular therapies. This collaboration, announced at the AABB Annual Meeting in San Diego, seeks to increase the transparency of facilities and of treatments being offered to empower patients to make an informed healthcare decision.
“This partnership brings together two organizations that are committed to ensuring the highest level of patient safety in cellular medicine,” said David B. Audley, the executive director and CEO of the ICMS, the global leader in the physician education and standards for the practice of cell-based medicine. “Working together, the ICMS and AABB will provide a new model for the oversight of clinics and transparency for cell-based therapies.”
"AABB is recognized worldwide for its accreditation program and its commitment to quality in transfusion medicine and cellular therapies," said Karen Shoos Lipton, JD, CEO of AABB. "AABB’s partnership with ICMS can only enhance patient safety and outcomes. AABB’s Accreditation Program has been accredited by the International Society for Quality in Healthcare (ISQua), a designation held by only two accrediting bodies in North America."
Moving forward, both organizations will identify individuals to form a work group to translate the standards developed by ICMS into requirements for the accreditation program. Several facilities have been identified as the pilot sites for the accreditation process with implementation planned for Spring 2012.
*****
About the International Cellular Medicine Society
The ICMS, a professional medical association, is dedicated to the advancement of adult stem cell based medicine. The Society is 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that provides best practices guidelines for the practice of cell based medicine, manages a first of its kind Treatment Registry to outcomes from cell based therapies and oversees a global accreditation program for stem cell clinics. The Society maintains two websites, www.CellMedicineSociety.org that is focused on research and education for physicians and www.StemCellWatch.com, a portal for patient awareness and education.
About AABB
AABB was established in 1947 and is an international, not-for-profit association representing individuals and institutions involved in the field of transfusion medicine and cellular therapies. The association is committed to improving health by developing and delivering standards, accreditation and educational programs that focus on optimizing patient and donor care and safety.
AABB membership consists of nearly 2,000 institutions and 8,000 individuals, including physicians, nurses, scientists, researchers, administrators, medical technologists and other health care providers. Members are located in more than 80 countries.
The AABB Accreditation program promotes the highest standards of care for both patients and donors in all aspects of blood banking, transfusion medicine, relationship testing, hematopoietic, cord blood and other cellular therapies. In June 1995, and most recently in May of 2008, AABB was granted “deemed status” as an accrediting organization under the Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments of 1988 (CLIA).