August 27, 2008 – Albert Farrugia, the WFH's Blood Safety Advisor and long time supporter of the bleeding disorders community will be starting a new job this fall. The Plasma Protein Therapeutics Association (PPTA) has announced that it has named him as their new global access senior director. The PPTA says Prof. Farrugia “will focus on improving global access to care worldwide for patients in need of life-saving plasma protein therapies.” The PPTA is an industry association representing manufacturers of plasma-derived medicinal products. Before accepting this new position, Prof. Farrugia was the head of the Blood and Tissues Unit of the Therapeutic Goods Administration of Australia.
Prof. Farrugia has been a long-time volunteer for the WFH. The list of activities he has performed is many. He has helped organize or has spoken at all of the WFH Global Forums on blood safety and supply issues. He wrote the regulators Guide to the assessment of clotting factor concentrates for the treatment of hemophilia, and has led our regulatory workshops in Latin America, Europe, and the Middle East and Africa. Perhaps his greatest contribution has been his active participation in our Blood Products Safety, Supply and Availability committee, helping to keep the community informed of threats to the safety and supply of treatment products.
The WFH congratulates Prof. Farrugia on his new position and wishes him success in the new challenges he has accepted. Although his new position with PPTA means that the nature of his relationship with WFH will change, it will not end. We look forward to his continued volunteer support and to working closely with him in his new role to improve the safety and availability of treatment products around the world. We will continue to consult with him on current and emerging safety issues. He will also be speaking at the upcoming Regulatory Workshop in Kuala Lumpur where the recently published 2nd edition of the Guide will be launched.
Last Updated: August 2008 |
