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    Mission

    Sanquin provides blood services in the Netherlands on a not-for-profit basis. Sanquin is the knowledge institute in the field of blood, and conducts scientific research in the fields of blood transfusion medicine and immunology, applying this knowledge to the development and production of a range of pharmaceutical and diagnostic services.

    Mission

    Our mission is: "Together with the donor, we ensure a better life for patients". Sanquin is a knowledge-driven not-for-profit organisation that supplies life-saving products, focussing on the needs of the care sector. Through scientific research, we look for and find new solutions for medical problems in the field of transfusion medicine, haematology and immunology. We are constantly aware of our responsibility to handle the donors’ gift carefully, responsibly and effectively, and to put the patients’ safety and welfare first.

    Safety first

    The organisation’s top priority is the health of patients and donors: safety always comes first. The safety of the blood transfusion chain from donor to patient is ensured by sophisticated production methods, rigid procedures, strict quality requirements and testing, as well as thorough staff training.

    Sanquin tests donors before they give blood and excludes people at high risk of infectious diseases. All donations are tested, thereby minimising the risk of transmitting blood infections by blood products. Even though every possible precaution is taken, there remains a very small chance of a blood transfusion causing an infection through a virus or pathogen. That is why blood and blood products must be used with prudence.

    Accurate administration to keep close track of what happens to blood is an integral part of ensuring maximum safety. Sanquin keeps records of who receives its products, and products can always be traced back to the donor. This data is kept for thirty years. Hospitals and pharmacists also keep track of which patient receives which blood product.

    Transparency

    Sanquin’s work ethics are designed to ensure a safe blood supply. The blood supply is a people-orientated activity, and the skills and commitment of Sanquin’s staff are the organisation’s greatest asset. Communication lines are efficient and transparent, thus nurturing the professionalism and commitment needed to ensure the high quality of our blood supply. The employees of Sanquin work according to a code of conduct.