PReCEPT: Preparing for the Next Pandemic

PReCEPT (Planning Response Capability for Emerging Pathogens in Transfusion) is a BTRU-GEMS project on pandemic preparedness.

FAQs

FAQs

What are the expected challenges?

Developing new tests is complex and can take a long time to get right. We hope to overcome challenges by working closely between research, industry and NHS colleagues.

What are the stakes if we don't do this, or get it wrong?

Having no plan for a pandemic might create risks to people who receive blood. Although we care most about blood safety, a poor plan might also cost the NHS a lot of money in a new pandemic.

What do you hope to learn?

We'll write a manual for what to do in the next emergency, and will publish our findings.

Will you use real human samples?

Yes, we'll use blood donor 'minipools'. These are samples of donor plasma collected for blood safety work.

Do you need ethical approval for this work?

Yes. We've been given approval by the NHS Blood and Transplant clinical governance review panel.

Meet the PreCEPT team

PReCEPT is coordinated by Dr. Shannah Secret (University of Oxford) and Kate Tettmar (NHSBT).