Press Release (2000) 099 8 November 2000

6th NATO Blood Conference The 6th NATO Blood Conference to take place in Washington D.C., United States of America on 9 - 10 November 2000 will bring together representatives from the 19 NATO member Nations, plus the members of NATO's Partnership for Peace and Mediterranean Dialogue to discuss issues concerning the future status of blood availability and utilisation in civil and military emergencies. Based on lessons learned from events in the past century, the civil and military participants will reflect on research and innovation that will improve storage, security, availability, and transport of blood components as we enter the 21st century. The Conference is intended to stimulate co-operative exchange of medical and scientific information and techniques relevant to military contingencies and civil emergencies. Among the topics which will be considered are : Emergency Preparedness Blood Products on the Battlefield in the 21st Century Civil-Military Integration Natural Disasters NATO in the Balkans Transfusion Transmitted Diseases in Emergencies Blood Donors in a New Century Blood Components and Alternatives The event is sponsored by the Joint Medical Committee which is one of the Planning Boards and Committees under the Senior Civil Emergency Planning Committee. For further information on this, please contact the NATO Press and Media Service in Brussels, tel. +32 2 707 50 41, fax. +32 2 707 50 57.

Tel: Fax: +32 (0)2 707 50 41 +32 (0)2 707 50 57 B-1110 Brussels/Bruxelles http://www.nato.int press@hq.nato.int