What is AABB accreditation and why is it important?


AABB was formed in 1947 as American Association of Blood Banks, as an international non-profit organization for blood banking and transfusion services. Currently known as just AABB, it is based in America and is associated with 80 other countries. The purpose of AABB is to improvise blood banking services, which involve the collection, testing, storage, labelling, maintenance of record, spreading awareness about Stem Cells and their banking through accreditation and education programmes and development in the field of immunohematology, which is regulated by Food and Drug Administration of US.


Now, stem cells are those undifferentiated mother cells, which can develop into multiple forms and can regenerate indefinitely. These are collected from various sources like embryos, placenta, umbilical cord, bone marrow, teeth, blood cells etc. These cells have the potential to cure various diseases, and the process of curing diseases using stem cells is termed  ​stem cell therapy.

 ​AABB acknowledges and combines globally accepted quality management and technical system and accordingly, fulfils appropriate requirements for it's every discipline forming the base of accreditation programme. AABB accreditation programme was established in 1958 as AABB
Inspection and Accreditation programme, based on it's AABB Standards for Cellular Therapy Product itself. It is carried out to assist blood banking and transfusion services to improve standards for blood banking, transfusion of blood and medicine, immunohematology and various cellular therapies by determining the process, procedures, personal knowledge and equipment used to fulfil the requirements established by AABB.

AABB accreditation also assures patients and donors that the cord blood bank or the stem cell bank they choose, provide them quality facilities in testing, storage of cord blood and stem cells and their release, maintenance of equipment, training and selection of staff, consent of donors, providing supplies through various vendors, constantly monitoring and updating their services. The process of accreditation is a bit lengthy so that each detail is maintained and takes around 6-9 months. It also has web access. The cost of accreditation is decided on various factors, like the activities for your chosen facility being accredited and also how voluminous your facility is. So it may or may not be pricey. Donor centres, relationship testing, cellular therapies, immunohematology and molecular testing laboratories, transfusion and perioperative services, all are eligible for accreditation programme.

AABB is the most widely recognised and renowned organisation in the accreditation process. It has constantly upgraded its standards maintaining pace with the rapidly changing technology. At an interval of two years, it conducts an external audit in which representatives of AABB thoroughly test the policies, methods and procedures of the laboratory in the accreditation process. With the upsurge of autoimmune disorders in the 1980s. Blood banking mainly stems cell banking, entered a new era, and so did AABB. Currently, it is the most used accreditation process by the cord blood banks or stem cell banks not only in the US but worldwide. AABB assessors don't rely on a simple checklist, but rather ask questions, observe, gather information and give feedback on the organisations in meeting AABB’s standard. Organisations accredited with AABB, shake hands with an association of opportunities and rigorous workforce training, leading to quality outcomes.

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