On Feb. 28, 2002, the FDA announced it had licensed the first nucleic acid test (NAT) system intended for screening donors of whole blood and blood components intended for use in transfusion. This test system can simultaneously detect the presence of HIV and HCV in blood using a semi-autoomated system and is expected to further ensure the safety of whole blood and blood components, including fresh plasma, red cells and platelets, by permitting earlier detection of HIV and HCV infections in donors. The approved test system was developed by Gen-Probe and distributed by Chiron Corp.