Safety measures in place
Héma-Québec strives to provide quality blood products and other biological products of human origin to the Québec population. We always work in compliance with the highest standards. Since its creation in 1998, Héma-Québec has become synonymous with safety by implementing new measures to protect recipients and donors.
| Year | Subject | Benefits |
1999 | Systematic filtration (deleukocytation) of blood bags to eliminate almost all white blood cells (leukocytes) and to reduce transfusion reactions | Greater safety for recipients |
1999 | Addition of HCV (Hepatitis C) to the viruses detectible by nucleic acid testing (NAT) | Greater safety for recipients |
1999, 2000, 2001 | Implementation (1999) and tightening (2000 and 2001) of a qualification criterion for the variant of Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (United Kingdom, France, Western Europe) | Greater safety for recipients |
2001 | Addition of HIV to viruses detectible by nucleic acid testing (NAT) | Greater safety for recipients |
2002 | Introduction of PRISM® technology to automate the screening of high volumes of blood. This technology is used in the detection of hepatitis, HIV and HTLV | Greater safety for recipients |
2003 | Introduction of a new collection device that includes a derivation pouch for the first few millilitres of blood where bacteria may be found from the skin at the puncture site | Greater safety for recipients |
2003 | Establishment of a bacteria detection system for platelets collected by apheresis | Greater safety for recipients |
2003 | Addition of an anti-HBc test to the screening tests for the Hepatitis B virus | Greater safety for recipients |
2003 | Introduction of measures for the West Nile Virus (WNV): nucleic acid testing (NAT) and qualification criterion | Greater safety for recipients |
2003 | Implementation of a qualification criterion for severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) | Greater safety for recipients |
2005 | Assouplissement du critère de qualification relatif au variant de la maladie de Creutzfeldt-Jakob The risk period for stays in France and the United Kingdom is now limited to the following timeframe. The period used to calculate the length of cumulative stays is 1980 to 1996 | Increased access to blood donation |
2005 | New bacteria detection system for platelets | Greater safety for recipients |
2007 | Introduction of the ISBT 128 standard, improving the traceability of blood products | Greater safety for recipients |
2007 | Tightening of the qualification criterion for the variant of Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease Addition of Saudi Arabia to the list of countries affected by the criterion | Greater safety for recipients |
2008 | Implementation of safety measures to prevent complications related to blood transfusion (transfusion-related acute lung injury or TRALI) | Greater safety for recipients |
2008 | Implementation of new measures to detect Chagas disease (screening by laboratory testing of donors at risk) | Greater safety for recipients |
2010 | Implementation of new multiple nucleic acid testing technology (NAT MPX), adding HBV (Hepatitis B) to viruses detectible by NAT | Greater safety for recipients |
2013 | Relaxation of the qualification criterion for men who have sex with other men The previously permanent prohibition period for giving blood after the last sexual relations between men becomes temporary (5 years) | Increased access to blood donation |
2014 | Implementation of more effective safety measures regarding the bacterial culture of platelets (doubling of the sample volume) | Greater safety for recipients |
2014 | Relaxation of the qualification criterion for the variant of Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease The risk period for stays in Western Europe is now limited to the following timeframe. The period used to calculate the length of cumulative stays is 1980 to 2007 | Increased access to blood donation |
2014 | Tightening of the hemoglobin qualification criterion for men | Greater safety for recipients |
2015 | Introduction of more effective safety measures regarding the bacterial culture of platelets (longer sampling time) | Greater safety for recipients |
2015 | Tightening of the weight qualification criterion for donors aged 23 or younger to take height into consideration | Greater safety for recipients |
2015 | Relaxation of the hemoglobin qualification criterion for Black women | Increased access to blood donation |
2016 | Implementation of a qualification criterion for Zika virus and other similar viruses (especially dengue fever and chikungunya) | Greater safety for recipients |
2016 | Reform of the hemovigilance system for donors | Greater safety for recipients |
2016 | Relaxation of the qualification criterion for men who have sex with other men The temporary prohibition period for giving blood after the last sexual relations between men goes from 5 years to 12 months | Increased access to blood donation |
2016 | Relaxation of the qualification criteria for tattooing and piercing | Increased access to blood donation |
2016 | Relaxation of the qualification criteria for persons in cancer remission | Increased access to blood donation |
2017 | Introduction of prevention measures before donating (drinking water and eating a salty snack) to mitigate adverse effects (vasovagal reaction) | Greater safety for recipients |
2018 | Introduction of a collection device with a single connector to reduce the risk of connecting errors for apheresis donations | Greater safety for recipients |
2018 | Relaxation of criteria for the use of drugs (removal of questions concerning drug use other than injectable drugs) | Increased access to blood donation |
2019 | Relaxation of the qualification criterion for men who have sex with other men The temporary prohibition period from giving blood after the last sexual relations between men goes from 12 to 3 months | Increased access to blood donation |
2019 | Increase from 56 to 84 days in the interval between two blood donations for women | Greater safety for recipients |
2019 | Relaxation of the criteria for electrolysis and acupuncture | Increased access to blood donation |
2020 | Relaxation of the qualification criterion for the waiting time following a trip of less than six months to a country at high risk for malaria | Increased access to blood donation |