Red Book
Guidelines for the Blood Transfusion and Tissue Transplantation Services in the UK
The guidelines in the Red Book apply to the donation and preparation of materials derived from blood, tissue and stem cells by the UK Blood and Tissue Services for therapeutic and diagnostic use.
They reflect an expert view of current best practice, provide specifications for products and components, and describe technical details of processes.
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Annexes
Annex 1
NIBSC standards available from MHRA
Annex 2
ISBT 128 check character calculation
Annex 3
Provisional component specifications
Annex 4
Redundant component specifications
Annex 5
Contingency component specifications
Annex 6
Advanced therapy medicinal products (ATMPs)
Annex 7
Requirements for timing of testing of haemopoetic progenitor cells
Latest updates
| Change number | Title | Updated | Guidelines affected |
|---|---|---|---|
| 11-2026 | Platelets in Additive Solution and Plasma for Neonatal Use, Leucocyte Depleted (PDF only, 192KB) | 28 May 2026 | |
| 02-2026 | Removal of vCJD risk from blood component labels (PDF only, 183KB) | 17 February 2026 | |
| 03-2026 | Red Book Chapter 23 (PDF only, 869KB) | 17 February 2026 | |
| 04-2026 | Red Book Chapter 3.4 (PDF only, 315KB) | 17 February 2026 | |
| 38-2025 | Red Cells for Neonates and Infants, Leucocyte Depleted, Washed (PDF only, 255KB) | 8 December 2025 |