EFLM Task and Finish Group for Standardization of thecolour coding

for blood collection tube closures (EFLM TFG-STCC)

Dear Colleagues,

We would like to ask you to fill outthis survey with 11 simple questions.

The EFLM TFG-STCC was established inJune 2015, with the aim to initiate and manage a dialog between interestedparties in order to achieve the global harmonization of the color coding forblood collection tube closures (caps) and labels (1).

The TFG-STCC has recently started aclose collaboration with the ISO TC76/WG1 on ‘Transfusion, infusion andinjection, and blood processing equipment for medical and pharmaceutical use’,which is currently working on the revision of the ISO 6710 standard:'Single-use containers for venous blood specimen collection’. This revision ofISO 6710 would also replace the current European standard EN 14820. TFG-STCC and ISO TC76/WG1 have agreed to include (as an Informative Annex) acolour code based on the Swedish standard (see the attached file) in the newincoming version of the ISO 6710. This is already a first encouraging result.

Swedish standard is defined by theadditive in the tube rather than its intended use and has been alreadysuccessfully implemented in Sweden. This is why we believe it is a goodstarting point for this project. Final colour coding to be included in the ISOstandard is yet to be specified by the Swedish experts and agreed by all ISOTC76/WG members before summer. 

As we are aware that some barriers andobstacles could put this important project at risk of full implementation, wehave decided to set up this short survey in order to gather some feedback fromlaboratory professionals on the importance and acceptance of such a colourcode.

The main aim of thesurvey is to learn whether EFLM National Societies would be willing to acceptan EFLM proposal for the colour coding of the blood tube caps as the Europeanstandard. Moreover, if there are institutions,laboratories or individuals which are not in favor of such standardization wewould be very interested to understand possible reasons for this. 

The results of this survey will provideus an overview of the opportunities and potential barriers for this project.

On behalf of EFLM TFG-STCC, I thereforeencourage you to send us your opinion. Tell us what you think and help us toreach the project outcomes. Your feedback is very important to us as it willguide us in our efforts to identify the best solution for all stakeholders.

The deadline tofill in this questionnaire is 8 May, 2016. You may access the questionnaire here:

https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/TFG-STCC

Thank you in advance for your valuabletime and your feedback.

Ana-Maria Simundic

EFLM TFG-STCC, Chair

(1)   Simundic AM et al. on behalf of theEuropean Federation for Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine (EFLM).Colour coding for blood collection tube closures – a call for harmonization. Clin Chem Lab Med 2015;53:371-6