Donors whose products may be used for fetal/neonatal transfusions should be HPA typed twice using samples collected on different occasions. Further HPA typing at subsequent donations is not required after a confirmed type has been established. HPA typing of other donors need only be performed on one occasion and HPA-selected products may be issued on the basis of this ‘unconfirmed’ type.
HPA antibody specificities should only be assigned when the sample investigated has been tested and a minimum of three positive and three negative reactions obtained. An antibody report can be issued at this stage. A donor with an HPA antibody should receive an HPA antibody card and an information leaflet, where this is available. However, before an HPA antibody card and information leaflet is issued, the donor should be typed and found negative for that antigen.