An Act to Amend the Act Respecting Héma-Québec and the Haemovigilance Committee : Héma-Québec positioned to meet emerging needs and pursue its mission
Québec City, April 17, 2013 – Héma-Québec today presented its main recommendations concerning Bill 29—An Act to Amend the Act Respecting Héma-Québec and the Haemovigilance Committee—to the members of the Québec National Assembly Committee on Health and Social Services.
“Héma-Québec welcomes the introduction of Bill 29 to amend the Act Respecting Héma-Québec and the Haemovigilance Committee. It should be noted that this bill is in response to a request originally submitted by Héma-Québec in March 2011. Should the bill be approved, one of the main consequences will be to allow Héma-Québec to supply hospitals, starting in a few months, with pasteurized breast milk—a safe product with recognized nutritional value. The bill will also update certain articles in the Act and provide the flexibility required to incorporate new responsibilities into Héma-Québec’s mandate,” explains Dr. Jean De Serres, President and CEO of Héma-Québec.
Héma-Québec is widely known as the organization responsible for managing Québec’s blood supply. The role of Héma-Québec, however, now goes far beyond supplying labile and stable blood products. Hematopoietic stem cells (umbilical cord blood and bone marrow) and human tissues, both used in transplants, have become increasingly important.
The agency’s role is sure to continue evolving. A few months ago, Héma-Québec’s expertise in managing biological products led perinatal professionals to inquire about the organization’s interest and ability to launch a public breast milk bank project in Québec.
After a study had been conducted and the results were conclusive, Héma-Québec formally announced its interest in managing such a bank. Before this new responsibility can be assumed, however, the Act Respecting Héma-Québec and the Haemovigilance Committee has to be amended.
Developments in the field of cell production are also generating new needs. Platelets, red blood cells, corneas and human tissues are poised to become cell products. Héma-Québec needs to adapt its role and mission in order to be able to respond to this shift and fulfill its fundamental purpose.
About Héma-Québec
Héma-Québec's mission is to efficiently provide adequate quantities of safe, optimal blood components, substitutes, human tissues and cord blood to meet the needs of all Quebecers; to provide and develop expertise along with specialized and innovative services and products in the fields of transfusion medicine and human tissue transplantation.
Give blood. Give life.
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