DECISION SUPPORT FOR HIV SCREENING IN BLOOD BANKS

OPTIMAL DESIGN OF PROCEDURES AND PROTOCOLS FOR SCREENING BLOOD AND BLOOD PRODUCTS FOR HUMAN IMMUNODEFICIENCY VIRUS (HIV) IS DEPENDENT ON CONSIDERATION OF SEROPREVALENCE IN THEDONOR POPULATION (ACKNOWLEDGING THAT THERE ARE SIGNIFICANT REGIONAL DIFFERENCES), ON THE PREVALENCE OF AND OVERLAP WITHOTHER MARKERS SUCH AS THOSE FOR HEPATITIS, AND ON VOLUNTARY SELF-DEFERRAL BEHAVIOR UNDER DIFFERENT CONTINGENCIES. THIS PROJECT WILL EXPLORE THE FEASIBILITY OF INCORPORATING THESE VARIABLES AND THEIR INTERACTIONS INTO A COMPUTER-BASEDDECISION SUPPORT PACKAGE FOR THE BLOOD BANKING COMMUNITY IN ORDER TO ASSIST IN THE ESTIMATION OF THE ECONOMIC, LEGAL, AND POLICY CONSEQUENCES OF CURRENT VS. ALTERNATIVE SCREENING PROTOCOLS FOR HIV IN DONATED BLOOD. IN ADDITION, SUCH ALTERNATIVE PROTOCOLS ARE TO BE ORIENTED TO EVEN FURTHER INCREASING THE SAFETY OF THE BLOOD SUPPLY WHILE MINIMIZING DONOR ATTRITION. IF THE PARAMETERS FOR A DECISION-PROMPTING MODEL TO SIMULATETHE EFFECTS OF ALTERNATIVE SCREENING PROCEDURES CAN BE IDENTIFIED AND DOCUMENTED DURING PHASE I, A PHASE II VENTURE FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF AN APPROPRIATE SOFTWARE PACKAGE IS PLANNED.