Malfunction in Freezer at Red Cross Facility in Tokyo Leads to Issue with Blood Products
In a recent development, the Japanese Red Cross Society reported an incident at their blood center in Tokyo's Koto Ward, where a power outage caused approximately 13,700 units of fresh frozen plasma to become unusable. The power cut occurred on May 11, around 10:30 p.m., and was restored about four hours later.
During the outage, the temperature of the plasma units inside the freezer exceeded the standard level of minus 20 degrees Celsius for about two and a half hours. The exact cause of the power outage remains unclear, but it was revealed that the incident was due to a faulty device installation in the temperature control panel.
The affected plasma blood units will be repurposed for other products that can be stored at higher temperatures. However, it is unclear how this repurposing may impact the original intended purpose of these units.
In such incidents, the standard procedure and regulation in Japan requires timely reporting to the health ministry. Despite the delay, the Japanese Red Cross Society reported the incident to the health ministry on June 10. The health minister, Takamaro Fukuoka, strongly demanded prompt reporting of any such incidents in the future.
The ministry has not provided any information about the potential impact on the overall blood supply in Tokyo or Japan as a result of this incident. Neither have they disclosed any actions taken in response to the incident or any corrective measures implemented to prevent similar occurrences in the future.
Blood centers like the Japanese Red Cross Society are required by health regulations to monitor freezer conditions stringently, ensure blood product safety, and report any deviations or equipment failures promptly to relevant authorities for oversight and public health protection.
Further details about the specific effects on the quality of the plasma blood due to the power outage have not been released. It is also unclear if the incident had any impact on the delivery of blood products to medical institutions.
This incident underscores the importance of maintaining the safety and reliability of blood products under controlled temperature conditions, and the need for timely reporting of any incidents affecting these products.
Scientists are examining the effects of the power outage on the quality of the repurposed plasma due to its original intended use for medical-conditions, potentially impacting health-and-wellness in society. The Japanese Red Cross Society is conducting photo documentation of the aftermath and any equipment involved, intending to strengthen health-and-wellness measures and prevent future science-based mishaps.
