Terumo BCT Announces 2016 Advancing Apheresis Award Winner Opens Applications for 2017

Terumo BCT funds a $10,000 USD grant to Aarhus University Hospital for solving venous access challenges

Lakewood, Colo., USA - May 1, 2017 - Terumo BCT, a global medical device manufacturing company, announced today that a team from the Aarhus University Hospital (AUH) in Denmark led by Anna-Marie Eller Thomsen is the winner of the 2016 Advancing Apheresis Award: Solving Venous Access Challenges. This marks the first time an all-nurse team has won the award. They plan to use the funds to host educational events building on their success in implementing and performing peripheral ultrasound-guided vascular access (PUGVA) for apheresis procedures.

"We are honored to win the Advancing Apheresis Award, and we thank the Committee and Terumo BCT for recognizing our commitment to continually improving safety and care for our patients. This opportunity expands our ability to optimize our use of peripheral ultrasound-guided vascular access and to educate others, and it helps in our goal to be among the leading apheresis centers in the world," said Anna-Marie Eller Thomsen.

In its fourth year, the Terumo BCT Advancing Apheresis Award is part of a long-term commitment to support those who improve patient care in the use of therapeutic apheresis and cell collections. Each year, the winner is chosen by an external, global committee of key opinion leaders. Their decision included considerations for AUHs plans for use of the award, its history of demonstrating educational leadership and its impact to the community. The 2016 Terumo BCT Grant Committee included:

• Prof. Franz Schaefer, MD
  • Pediatric Nephrology, University of Heidelberg, Germany
• Paolo Malvezzi, MD
  • Nephrology & Transplantation, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire, Grenoble, France
• Sheryl McDiarmid, RN, BScN, MEd, MBA
  • Vascular Access Program Founder, Ottawa Hospital, Canada
• Ed Harris, MS, Patient Advocate
  • Executive Director, Scleroderma Education Project, Madison, WI, USA

Each year, the Advancing Apheresis Award features a different emphasis. For 2016, it focused on solving venous access challenges. "Selecting and securing the appropriate approach to vascular access is a challenge; improving peripheral access can lead to improved patient and clinical experience. We are privileged to honor the efforts of clinicians, physicians and operators who continue to enhance patient experience and outcomes around the world," said Monte Smith, Vice President, Global Therapeutic Systems, Terumo BCT.

For the first time in the history of the Advancing Apheresis Award, Terumo BCT included a patient advocate on the review committee. Ed Harris currently serves as Executive Director and Research Fellow in the department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Mr. Harris has been a patient in over 365 therapeutic apheresis procedures, all performed with peripheral venous access.

Terumo BCT is now seeking applications for the 2017 Award: Bringing Perspective to Cell Collections for Immunotherapy. The program is open to apheresis professionals, clinicians, researchers, and cell, gene and immunotherapy developers from around the world.

Key Dates

Interested applicants can learn more about the Advancing Apheresis Award by visiting AdvancingApheresis.com.

About Terumo BCT

Terumo BCT, a global leader in blood component, therapeutic apheresis and cellular technologies, is the only company with the unique combination of apheresis collections, manual and automated whole blood processing, and pathogen reduction technologies. We believe in the potential of blood to do even more for patients than it does today. This belief inspires our innovation and strengthens our collaboration with customers.