Paramus, NJ (November 10, 2008) – NJ Sharing Network, which coordinates organ donations with all of New Jersey’s transplant centers, is teaming with Community Blood Services to manage its infectious disease testing for tissue and organs donated for transplant.

The collaboration will enable NJ Sharing Network to focus its resources on facilitating tissue and organ donation by allowing Community Blood Services to do much of its testing at is Paramus facility. Community Blood Services has provided testing of blood, blood products and tissue for blood centers, hospital blood banks and cord blood banks throughout the region for more than 50 years.

“Our new collaboration with NJ Sharing Network puts both organizations in a position to provide organ and tissue transplants using the most current technology available,” said Dennis M. Todd, PhD, Community Blood Services president and CEO. “The collaboration enables us to strategically position our resources and expertise so that as partners we can ensure thousands of New Jersey residents awaiting transplant can be given this lifesaving opportunity.”

NJ Sharing Network is a member of the United Network for Organ Sharing, responsible for the recovery of organs and tissue for the 4,500 New Jersey residents currently awaiting transplants. More than 100,000 people in the U.S. are on transplant waiting lists. Each year, more than 3,000 people die while waiting for an organ transplant.

“Healthcare services are facing critical hurdles that are severely complicated by the current economic climate,” said Joseph Roth, president and chief executive officer of NJ Sharing Network. “By collaborating with Community Blood Services, we can take advantage of their expertise, capacity and economies of scale in a function that is critical to our mission while we focus our resources on facilitating organ donation.”

As with blood components, all donated tissue and organs must undergo stringent testing and screening for viruses, antibodies and other factors. As the largest blood and umbilical cord stem cell collection organization in New Jersey, Community Blood Services has both the technological expertise and the resources to facilitate the screening process. Its fully automated, high-volume screening technology enhances safety, while additional automated features help track and monitor each sample for quality control.

Currently, Community Blood Services tests, processes and distributes over 50,000 units of blood and blood products annually. In addition, its umbilical cord blood program, which includes the state-designated New Jersey Cord Blood Bank, collects, tests and processes more than 1,000 cord blood units annually. Community Blood Services is licensed by the federal Food and Drug Administration (FDA), as well as by the states of New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania and California.

“This is an exciting time for NJ Sharing Network and Community Blood Services,” said Dr. Todd. “We look forward to expanding our relationship with NJ Sharing in the very near future to provide additional services that can benefit residents in the communities we serve.”

About NJ Sharing Network
NJ Sharing Network is a member of the United Network for Organ Sharing, responsible for the recovery of organs and tissue for the 4,500 New Jersey residents currently awaiting transplants. More than 100,000 people in the U.S. are on transplant waiting lists. Each year, more than 3,000 people die while waiting for an organ transplant.