Recommendations for in vitro evaluation of blood components collected, prepared and stored in non‐DEHP medical devices

Background and Objectives DEHP, di(2‐ethylhexyl) phthalate, is the most common member of the class of ortho‐phthalates, which are used as plasticizers. The Medical Device Regulation has restricted the use of phthalates in medical devices. Also DEHP has been added to the Annex XIV of REACH, “Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals” due to its endocrine disrupting properties to the environment. As such, the sunset date for commercialisation of DEHP‐containing blood bags is May 27th 2025. There are major concerns in meeting this deadline as these systems have not yet been fully validated and/or CE‐marked. Also, since DEHP is known to affect red cell quality during storage, it is imperative to transit to non‐DEHP without affecting blood product quality. Here, EBA members aim to establish common grounds on the evaluation and assessment of blood components collected, prepared and stored in non‐DEHP devices. Materials and Methods Based on data as well as the input of relevant stakeholders a rationale for the validation of each component was composed. Results The red cell components will require the most extensive validation as their quality is directly affected by the absence of DEHP, as opposed to platelet and plasma components. Conclusion Studies in the scope of evaluating the quality of blood products obtained with non‐DEHP devices, under the condition that they are carried out according to these recommendations, could be used by all members of the EBA to serve as scientific support in the authorization process specific to their jurisdiction or for their internal validation use.