06 04 19 - INTERNATIONAL ACCREDITATION TEAM GIVES HIGH MARKS TO ARMENIAN BONE MARROW DONOR REGISTRY

April 18, 2006
YEREVAN – On March 30 the accreditation team of the European Federation of Immunogenetics (EFI) ranked the Armenian Bone Marrow Donor Registry (ABMDR) “a 9 on a scale of 1 to 10” following inspection of the laboratories. An official accreditation of the ABMDR by the prestigious association will be formalized following the team’s recommendation to the EFI Accreditation Committee.
EFI advances the development of immunogenetics in Europe, providing a forum for the exchange of scientific information, and organizing and implementing accreditation standards of practice in the field of immunogenetics, histocompatibility testing and transplantation. The ABMDR will be the first laboratory of its kind in the Commonwealth of Independent States (former Soviet republics) and in the whole region to receive accreditation from the organization.
Accreditation inspector Prof. Chryssa Papasteriades, Director of Histocompatibility and Immunogenetics Department of Evangelismos Hospital from Athens Greece, concluded the inspection remarking, “I was much impressed with the high standards, the ABMDR’s knowledge of the field, the quality of the results, and how well-orchestrated the group here is. In a country at the end of Europe, relatively isolated, I didn’t expect to see such a laboratory operation.” Inspector Dr. Joannis Mytilineos, Director of Transplantation Immunology from University Hospital Ulm, Germany, added: “I’ve been to several inspections in several countries. I was positively surprised to see how even the small details not fulfilled in other countries are nicely handled here.”
With headquarters in Los Angeles and laboratory facilities in Yerevan, the ABMDR is a nonprofit organization whose mission is to ensure that every ethnic Armenian struck with a life-threatening blood-related illness is able to find hope for long-term survival through the identification of a genetically suitable bone marrow match.
Since December 2000, through cross-national cooperation, the ABMDR has recruited over 11,000 donors, received and processed over 514 search requests, identified 400 potential matches, and facilitated six bone marrow and stem cell transplants in Armenia, the United States, and Europe. Five of the transplantations occurred in the last two years.
Both EFI inspectors commented that this progress in developing the Registry is “far above average,” noting that there are other countries with much larger populations that have made considerably less progress.
AMBDR Executive Director Dr. Sevak Avagyan and President Dr. Frieda Jordan, who came from Los Angeles to be present for the inspection, were pleased by the findings. Dr. Jordan added: “We are delighted to receive this affirmation of our work, and look forward to expanding our efforts here, and throughout the Diaspora. Dr. Avagyan and his team here at the laboratory are doing an excellent job maintaining the highest standards to ensure our success.”
Those who wish to learn more about the Registry may contact ABMDR President Dr. Frieda Jordan at 3111 Los Feliz Blvd., Suite 206, Los Angeles, CA; by calling (323) 663-3609; or e-mailing abmdrla@sbcglobal.net or Frieda.Jordan@att.net . The website for the Registry is www.abmdr.am .
Fig 1. EFI inspectors at the Press conference. Fig 2. EFI inspectors with From L-R- Dr. Joannis Mytilneos, ABMDR Laboratory Staff
Prof. Chryssa Papasteriades and Dr. Sevak Avagyan in Yerevan.

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