The Foundation for the Accreditation of Cellular Therapy (FACT) and the Joint Assurance Committee of ISCT-and EBMT (JACIE) are pleased to announce that Clínica Ruiz / Centro de Hematología y Medicina Interna in Puebla, Mexico, has become the first programme accredited through the FACT-JACIE Accreditation Programme of transplant centres in Latin America.
This achievement marks an important milestone in international cellular therapy accreditation and reflects the programme’s demonstrated commitment to quality, safety, and continuous improvement in haematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT) and cellular therapy.
The FACT-JACIE Accreditation Programme supports centres seeking accreditation through a joint review process based on internationally recognised standards. Accreditation through this programme confirms that a centre has met rigorous requirements designed to promote quality patient care, protect donors and recipients, and support consistent practices across clinical, collection, and processing services.
Guillermo J. Ruiz-Argüelles, MD, FRCP(Glasg), MACP, DSc(hc), FRCP(Lon), Director of Clínica Ruiz de Puebla, where the Centro de Hematología y Medicina Interna is located and hosts the HSCT-México programme, said the achievement recognises more than three decades of HCT experience conducted in unique circumstances, including in a middle-income country, within a private practice institution and non-government organisation, and through a primarily outpatient transplantation programme.
“This accreditation recognises 33 years of experience in HCT conducted in special circumstances,” said Dr. Ruiz-Argüelles. “Despite these differences and facing the occurrence of the COVID-19 pandemic during the certification process, our programme was found to meet international standards aimed to both protect patients and guarantee clinical excellence in the practice of HCT.”
Dr. Ruiz-Argüelles also recognised the many individuals who contributed to the achievement, including physicians, nurses, transplant coordinators, residents, clinical pathologists, laboratory technicians, pharmacists, nutritionists, blood bank staff, social workers, data managers, administrative staff, and others. “We are certain that this accreditation will result in better care of patients who place their trust in us,” he said.
Charles Crawley, MD, FRCP, FRCPath, JACIE Working Party Chair, said: “We are pleased to see the FACT-JACIE framework helping centres translate international standards into practical quality improvements for patients, donors, and teams.”
Phyllis I. Warkentin, MD, FASTCT, FACT Chief Medical Officer, noted that being the first in Latin America to achieve FACT-JACIE Accreditation is a major accomplishment.
“FACT commends Dr. Ruiz-Argüelles for his leadership and this remarkable team at Clínica Ruiz / Centro de Hematología y Medicina Interna for their dedication and perseverance to reach this milestone in their journey of continuous improvement in providing quality care to the patients they serve.” Said Dr. Warkentin. “They have shown resilience and a strong commitment to quality principles in meeting rigorous international standards.”
FACT and JACIE congratulate Clínica Ruiz / Centro de Hematología y Medicina Interna on this historic achievement and commend the programme’s leadership and staff for their dedication to advancing quality cellular therapy practices.