Annual Report 1999

The Second Menzies Alumni Symposium

The Establishment of a National Tissue Processing Centre in Australia

The Second Menzies Alumni Symposium was initiated by Associate Professor David Morgan who was the Menzies Memorial Medical Scholar to the UK in 1985. Thirty participants gathered at Clarendon Terrace for the "summit meeting" which was held on 11 November, 1999.

The deliberations were helped by an international expert, Dr Michael Strong, Director of Operations, Puget Sound Blood Centre/National Tissue Centre, Seattle, who made an outstanding contribution. The participants were a good cross-section of the "Tissue Bank Fraternity" and there were some excellent presentations including one by Menzies Scholar, Dr Stephen Graves.

At the final session, chaired by Professor John Coghlan, the meeting reached a consensus view "that it was timely for more extensive collaboration and co-operation (networking) between tissue banks, and that central processing be explored as a high priority".

It had been shown at the meeting that the primary benefits of centralisation revolve around the avoidance of duplication of effort, the ability to purchase and maintain equipment of the highest technical calibre, the development of international excellence in terms of the processes being employed, and the manufacture of a much greater range of graft types and tissues. Whilst the cost benefit analysis was difficult, indications from the United States were suggestive that significant savings could be made. Available data confirmed the financial efficacy of increasing the size of the central unit with a concomitant increase in donors being recruited and tissue processed.

Additional benefits were also identified. These included improved basic and applied research and development efforts in particular in biomaterials, the education and training of post-graduates in tissue banking, more effective national donor awareness and recruitment programs, and the formulation of a national graft data base. The subsequent export of technical experience and advice, and possible processing for overseas centres, were also addressed. Improved information flows in this fast evolving field, DNA data collection into national data base, better assessment of outcomes, better information sharing regarding new technologies would be encouraged.

The Foundation has recommended to the Minister for Health and Aged Care that a working party be established to progress tissue banks to the next stage through a proposal to the Health Advisory Committee of the NHMRC. The proceedings of the meeting are available on CD-ROM and on the Foundation's web site.

March 2000