Business trip to evaluate and discuss GMP by Medcomtech and Sanquin experts in Vietnam

GMP stands for “Good Manufacturing Practice”; it includes general principles, regulations, and guidelines on the basic conditions of production; applicable to facilities manufacturing, processing, and packaging food, products, medical devices, cosmetics, etc., to ensure the products meet quality and safety standards.

Blood and blood products cannot be artificially manufactured but must be collected from voluntary blood donors. They are used for patients in emergencies, severe illnesses, or with blood transfusion indications only after undergoing a safe and quality-assured production process. Therefore, the highest safety and quality must be ensured. For this reason, blood products with high quality and safety standards provide peace of mind for the community. To achieve this, applying the principles of Good Manufacturing Practice – GMP from collection, storage, processing, distribution, and quality control in the whole blood processing ensures that blood products are consistently produced and controlled according to quality standards and suitable for their intended use.

With the desire to contribute to improving the quality of blood products and thanks to the long-term partnership between Medcomtech and the Dutch Blood Bank – Sanquin. From July 12 to 15, 2022, Medcomtech JSC invited Expert Dr. Willem Martinus Smid – Executive Director of the Dutch National Blood Bank (Sanquin), chairman of the blood supply management committee of the International Society of Blood Transfusion (ISBT) to Vietnam to participate in a working trip to evaluate and discuss GMP at major hospitals in the field of hematology and blood transfusion across the country such as BTH, Cho Ray, National Institute of Hematology and Blood Transfusion.

Expert Dr. Willem Martinus Smid, along with the Medcomtech delegation, met, exchanged, and worked directly with the hospital leadership. They visited departments, explored, evaluated the processes of receiving, processing, storing blood products, and assessed quality management documents according to EU GMP standards. From there, they recorded and provided feedback on the current processes of the hospitals. According to Dr. Smid's personal belief, a standard process is when “You feel safe transfusing that blood product to your children, your loved ones”

Visit and exchange at the BTH Hospital compounding area

Visit BTH facility in Binh Chanh

Prof. Dr. Phu Chi Dung - Director of the hospital and Dr. Willem Martinus Smid

Visit the blood donation reception area at Chợ Rẫy Hospital

Visit the mobile blood donation point in District 7