Risk-based decision making framework

The Alliance of Blood Operators (ABO) sought to move its members toward a consistent, transparent approach to risk-based decision-making. Having worked through the development of a framework, the organization now wanted formal adoption, external validation, and practical application to real-world decision contexts. ABO’s request was twofold: to embed the framework as a standing resource available to all members, and to strengthen its credibility through peer-reviewed publication and international visibility.

Member organizations also asked for practical demonstrations of the framework in action. Canadian Blood Services, for example, requested support in applying the approach to the development of its national plasma collection strategy. At the same time, ABO sought further elaboration of specialized components of the framework, most notably the risk tolerability process. This included the creation of additional tools and guidance that would enable decision-makers to evaluate ethical and risk trade-offs in a structured, defensible way.

The overarching purpose was to provide blood operators worldwide with a systematic decision process that could handle scientific, ethical, and stakeholder considerations in a transparent manner. By adopting and applying the risk-based framework, ABO aimed to improve consistency across organizations, enhance defensibility of major policy choices, and strengthen public trust in the blood system.