Biopool, Health-Care Group Expand Distribution Pact

Biopool International in Ventura has expanded its distribution agreement with Allegiance Healthcare Corp. in an attempt to increase access to national purchasing groups.

Biopool’s red blood cell products will be included in the Allegiance clinical laboratory products catalog, Biopool officials said. In addition, those products have been added to the contract between Allegiance and Novation, a purchasing organization that represents more than 400 health-care facilities in the United States.

Allegiance is the sole distributor authorized to supply Novation member facilities.

Allegiance Healthcare, based in McGaw Park, Ill., is a subsidiary of Allegiance Corp. Allegiance provides health-care products and cost-management services to hospitals, laboratories and other health-care facilities.

“In today’s health-care market, fewer than 10 . . . organizations control or influence the purchasing decisions for some 90% of our target hospital accounts,” said Michael D. Bick, Biopool chairman and chief executive officer. “Allegiance is a sole or primary contract vendor to nearly all of these national purchasing organizations and hospital corporations.”

Biopool develops test kits to assess and diagnose blood disorders.