Transcript NIBSC

SoGAT: Future Development
• Tremendous amount achieved over past 12 years in blood
safety area
• Timely to think about future direction
• Clear that other areas of NAT testing could benefit from
SoGAT ‘treatment’
• NIBSC keen to see SoGAT adapt to public health needs
• Discussion over past year about new initiatives/opportunities
• Agreement at organising committee meeting yesterday
evening
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SoGAT: Blood/Tissue Safety – carrying on the
tradition
• Continue to run SoGAT meeting focused on blood safety
but
• From now on move to a 2 year cycle
• Continue to run meeting back to back with IPFA meeting
(IPFA meetings will remain annual)
• Agenda to include tissues/organ safety
SoGAT-BT
• Organising committee for SoGAT-BT to remain as it is
• Next meeting proposed to be in Brussels 2009 (Isabelle
Thomas)
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SoGAT: Clinical Virology – a new direction
• Clear need for standardisation of NAT assays to support viral
diagnosis
– High enthusiasm in UK – likely to be similar internationally
• Significant overlap with current SoGAT audience, but also
substantial differences
• Plan to initiate 2nd meeting series: SoGAT-CV
– focus on clinical virology
• 1st meeting to be in the UK in 2008 - details to come
• Likely to need meetings at least annually
• New organising committee will be required
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SoGAT-CV/BTO ‘Cross talk’
• Huge and valuable experience in current SoGAT
• Vital that there is good communication between both meeting
series
• Must preserve ability/flexibility to get things done effectively
 Cross representation on organising committee (NIBSC +
other stalwarts)
 Encourage ‘cross attendance’ from participants
 Meeting agendas of both SoGAT-BT and SoGAT-CV focused
but not exclusive
 Burning issues can be addressed (e.g. ECBS proposals)
 Report back from SoGAT as regular agenda item at IPFA
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See you all in:
UK
2008
Brussels 2009
(Tick as appropriate)
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