Blood transfusion in Europe : the white book 2005

EuroNet-TMS, the European network of transfusion medicine societies, covers the 25 countries in the Union and has three objectives:

• to allow the emergence of a medical and scientific Europe in matters of blood transfusion;
• to coordinate the activities of professionals in the European Union so as to improve practices and decision-making;
• to develop programmes to promote interactive exchanges of information between all participants. The first task undertaken by EuroNet-TMS was to draw up a non-exhaustive appraisal of the state of blood transfusion in the countries of the European Union, which lead to this White Book, a preliminary assessment which will serve to build for the future on a medical and scientific basis. Its 19 chapters deal with the institutional background, existing European structures and the prospects for blood transfusion over the next ten years.