Comparison of six commercial plasma references for factor VIII, factor IX and von Willebrand factor. On behalf of the Subcommittee for Factor VIII and IX of the Scientific and Standardization Committee of the ISTH

Six brands of normal reference plasma produced in the United States, with assigned assay values for factor VII and IX and, in four instances, ristocetin cofactor and van Willebrand antigen, were assayed in nine coagulation laboratories in academic institutions in the same country. Differences in mean assays of reference plasmas, as a percent of labelled potency, were significant and were greater than differences among laboratories. Standard methods of assigning potency to commercial reference plasmas are recommended.