[Viral safety concept: application to blood and blood products].

Safety of blood and its derivatives, with regards to the risk of transmission of infectious agents such as viruses or non conventional agents, relies on a series of general principles for which national and European guidance and regulations have been drawn and regularly updated. Three main criteria contribute to the safety of these products: knowledge and control of the quality of blood or plasma as the starting material, the efficiency of the manufacturing process to remove/inactivate adventitious agents, and the testing done during the production process. In addition, vigilance routinely exercised on the products used in daily practice increases the confidence in these health products.