Abbott's Hepatitis test system approved

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Abbott's Hepatitis test system approvedBy Duncan Bloomberg NewsPublished July 18, 2006, 5:18 PM CDT

Abbott Laboratories won U.S. approval for the first fully automated system that combines initial screening of blood and organ donors for Hepatitis B with a test to confirm the results.The combination of two tests automates procedures that had been handled manually, the Abbott Park, Illinois-based company said today in a statement. The system also can be used to screen blood from cadavers for organ and tissue donation, the Food and Drug Administration said.The product may reduce the potential for operator error and resists tampering, the FDA said. Hepatitis B can cause liver damage, cancer and death. Eight million volunteers donate about 15 million units of blood each year, Abbott said, citing figures from the American Association of Blood Banks.Abbott shares rose 22 cents to $44.70 at 4:15 p.m. in New York Stock Exchange consolidated trading.Each unit of blood donated is tested for infectious disease including hepatitis, HIV and other retroviruses.

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