Guide for the Preparation, Use and Quality Assurance of Blood Components is an essential reference guide for all those working in the field of transfusion medicine - from blood services to hospital departments to regulators. This is a comprehensive and fully updated compendium from the Council of Europe designed to ensure the safety, quality and efficacy of blood components. This guide is a technical annex to its Recommendation NA R (95) 15 on the preparation, use and quality assurance of blood components. The use of blood components represents the only therapy available for many seriously ill patients who suffer from acute or chronic diseases. The Guide contains recommendations on blood collection, blood components, technical procedures, transfusion practices and quality systems for blood establishments. It represents the basis for a large number of national regulations, as well as for the blood directives of the European Commission. This is the 15th edition of the Guide, compiled by leading European experts under the aegis of the European Committee (Partial Agreement) on Blood Transfusion (CD-P-TS). This Steering Committee was created in 2007 by the Council of Europe to pursue its activities in the field of blood transfusion following the transfer of these activities to the EDQM. It is an authoritative and essential resource for all those working in transfusion medicine. It includes a fully updated technical annex. It is compiled by industry experts