ISBT 128 is a global standard for the identification, labelling, and information transfer of medical products of human origin (MPHO) within and between facilities, across international borders and disparate health care systems.
The International Society of Blood Transfusion (ISBT) working group on automation and data processing began in the early 1990s and was later joined by the AABB, the American Red Cross (ARC), the US Department of Defence,[1] and the Health Industry Manufacturers Association in the development of the symbology which would come to be known as the ISBT 128 international standard.
Increasingly, facilities involved in MPHO operate sophisticated computer systems to enhance safety and efficiency.
By complying with ISBT 128, collection and processing facilities can provide electronically readable information that can be read by any other compliant system.
ISBT 128 also supports the use of Radio frequency identification (RFID) chips that can carry encoded information, which are being developed for medical products of human origin.
The ISBT 128 Standard also defines the structure for electronic communication of data elements for medical products of human origin.
There is an active proposal to include the fundamental elements of MPHO traceability in the United States Core Data for Interoperability.