First North American sales of Raycell X-ray blood irradiator

The Indiana Blood Center in Indianapolis, Indiana, and SMDC Laboratory in Duluth, Minnesota have both chosen to purchase MDS Nordion's Raycell(TM) blood irradiator as a means of eliminating delays in receiving irradiated blood and blood products from external suppliers and improving the service they provide to physicians and patients. The ability to irradiate blood and blood products in-house is a key factor in providing better patient care. The MDS Nordion Raycell x-ray blood irradiator is a convenient and cost-effective choice for lower volume hospitals and blood centers looking to establish blood and blood product irradiation services in-house rather than use outside services.

"The Raycell is extremely easy to use and will allow us to meet requests for irradiated blood products in a matter of minutes, not hours," said Karen Utick, Manager of Transfusion Services at SMDC Laboratory.

"We're delighted that SMDC and the Indiana Blood Centre have chosen the Raycell," said John Corley, Senior Vice-President at MDS Nordion. "Last fall, we licensed the x-ray technology from Rad Source Technologies, Inc. knowing that this highly reliable and cost-effective technology is ideal for hospitals with 200-400 beds and facilities with low to medium irradiation volume requirements." Blood irradiators provide safe, reliable, and cost-effective blood and blood product processing for hospitals, blood banks, and clinics. The American Association of Blood Banks, Canadian Blood Services, and other organizations recommend using irradiated blood for patients with severely weakened immune systems and recipients of bone marrow transplants. MDS Nordion is the only blood irradiation supplier to provide a choice of isotope and non- isotope based blood irradiation technology.

The use of irradiated blood and blood products in transfusions is recognized as the most effective way of preventing Transfusion Associated Graft Versus Host Disease (TA-GVHD). This occurs when T-lymphocytes from the donor's blood divide at a rapid rate and target the cells of the recipient, whose immune system is unable to reject them. Patients with severely weakened immune systems, such as bone marrow transplant patients, newborn infants and leukaemia patients require irradiated blood when given a transfusion. Approximately 10-15% of all blood in North America is irradiated for this purpose.