PeliSpy Chagas

Positive external run control

The new PeliSpy Chagas positive external run control from AcroMetrix, Benicia, Calif, provides labs with a means for estimating the precision and reproducibility of assays that detect antibodies to the Trypanosoma cruzi parasite, the cause of Chagas disease. The disease is a potentially deadly infection that often does not exhibit symptoms for up to 40 years. It is now endemic to most of Central and South America, with an increasing number of new cases reported annually in the United States. Routine use of the control helps labs monitor the day-to-day performance of their Chagas assays, including consistency between reagent lots and operator variation. The product is packaged ready to use and mimics an actual patient sample. It is for research use only; it is not for use in diagnostic procedures.

AcroMetrix
(888) 746-7921
www.acrometrix.com

Virotrol I

Third-party reactive quality control

Virotrol I, from Bio-Rad Laboratories Inc, Hercules, Calif, is a multianalyte, unassayed, third-party reactive quality control intended for use with in vitro assay procedures for the determination of antibodies to human immunodeficiency virus type 1, human T-lymphotropic virus type I, hepatitis C virus, hepatitis B surface antigen, hepatitis B core antigen, and cytomegalovirus. It is a liquid-stable product stored at 2–8ºC, and should be sampled in the same manner as a patient specimen.

Bio-Rad Laboratories Inc
(800) 224-6723
www.bio-rad.com

Hb 301 System

Hemoglobin systems

The new Hb 301 hemoglobin system from HemoCue Inc, Lake Forest, Calif, provides precision and accuracy, and ensures products that leave production facilities meet or exceed specifications for within-lot variation, lot-to-lot variation, calibration, instrument-to-instrument variation, and total-system variation. The company's testing systems remain accurate throughout the lifetime of analyzers, and from one cuvette lot to the next. The product was launched in the United States in October 2007.

HemoCue Inc
(800) 323-1674
www.hemocue.com

AmpliTrol III

Third-party quality control

Bio-Rad Laboratories Inc, Hercules, Calif, has added AmpliTrol III to its line of liquid-stable, multianalyte, unassayed, third-party quality controls. The product is used in qualitative in vitro diagnostic nucleic acid testing for the detection of human immunodeficiency virus, type 1, hepatitis B virus, and hepatitis C virus in serum or plasma from donations of human blood and blood components. It may be tested in the same manner as patient samples, including preparation, amplification, and detection procedures.

Bio-Rad Laboratories Inc
(800) 224-6723
www.bio-rad.com

AlbaQ-Chek Simulated Whole Blood Controls

Quality control kit

AlbaQ-Chek, distributed by Ortho-Clinical Diagnostics, Rochester, NY, is a whole-blood quality control (QC) kit composed of four 6-mL vials of simulated whole blood. It provides ready-to-use QC material that delivers consistency in process control, reliable and reproducible results, and the potential for error reduction. The product is used as ABO, RhD, and antibody screening controls for automated/semiautomated blood-grouping systems using column agglutination techniques. The reagent has been validated for use on the Ortho ProVue or the ID-MTS Manual Gel Workstation for quality control testing of the ID-MTS gel cards and associated test reagents. The kit, which is manufactured by Alba Bioscience, UK, was launched in the United States in October 2007.

Ortho-Clinical Diagnostics
(800) 828-6316
www.orthoclinical.com

SoftBank IIS

Software

SoftBank II, the blood-management software solution from SCC Soft Computer, Clearwater, Fla, offers handheld bar code technology. The transfusion service management system provides a centralized testing solution. Transactions and reports can be produced in seconds without affecting the system's processing power, even in a complex, multisite operation with numerous PC terminals. The database-management system offers a direct linking between records and transactions, and provides safety functions throughout the system. The company provides large and small hospitals, single-site or multisite, and laboratories with integrated clinical software solutions.

SCC Soft Computer
(727) 789-0100
www.softcomputer.com

ElDorado Donor Doc 1.0.0

Software tracking system

The new ElDorado Donor Doc 1.0.0 from Wyndgate Technologies, El Dorado Hills, Calif, is an electronic health history questionnaire and physical exam tracking system that helps blood centers screen donors by capturing medical and physical examination information. It automates screening processes to provide data quality assurance and supports regulatory compliance, and can be implemented on standard and touch-screen computers at fixed-site and mobile blood drives. The software identifies donor responses where additional staff investigation is necessary and helps blood centers block the release of products from unsuitable donors. It allows donors to self-administer questionnaires, choose text or audio presentation of questions in their preferred language, and view graphics to clarify content. The system identifies missing or suspect data, records physical exam results, and captures digital signatures and donor photographs. It integrates with central blood management systems such as the company's SafeTrace blood management software, and is a companion module to ElDorado Donor, which was recently submitted to the FDA for 510(k) clearance. The product was 510(k) cleared by the FDA in May.

Wyndgate Technologies
(800)-WYNDGATE
www.wyndgate.com

Virotrol Chagas

Third-party quality control

Virotrol Chagas, from Bio-Rad Laboratories Inc, Hercules, Calif, is a liquid-stable third-party control. It is used as an unassayed reactive external quality control with in vitro diagnostic qualitative assays for the determination of antibodies to Trypanosoma cruzi (T. cruzi) in human serum or plasma. T. cruzi is characteristically associated with Chagas disease.

Bio-Rad Laboratories Inc
(800) 224-6723
www.bio-rad.com