Work of the European Haemovigilance Network (EHN).

Haemovigilance has become a crucial part of the blood safety concept. In the Member States of the European Union, national haemovigilance systems are already in place or are developing. With the coming into force of the European Blood Directive 2002/98/EC, Community haemovigilance has become a priority: cooperation between the national haemovigilance systems will be of vital interest. The process of collaboration has already been initiated some years ago by the European Haemovigilance Network (EHN) with the following objectives: to favour the exchange of valid information between its members, to increase rapid alert/early warning between the members, to encourage joint activities between the members and to undertake educational activities relating to haemovigilance. This has been achieved by the EHN by developing and maintaining a website [http://www.ehn-org.net], by establishing a system for rapid alert and early warning (RAS), by discussing on all kinds of definitions relevant to haemovigilance, initiating standardisation of processes and forms (developing a common "mother matrix"), by starting with the compilation and analysis of European data (generated by the national haemovigilance systems in Europe) and by organising annual European Haemovigilance Seminars, where all these items are discussed. As in the past, the EHN will continue in the future to play a major role in promoting European haemovigilance.