New approaches to blood donations
Whether during an operation or after an accident: a blood transfusion can save a life. But unfortunately not enough blood is donated. Can blood donations using telemedicine and laboratory blood be the solution?
They save people’s lives during operations and births, or in dangerous illnesses and emergencies: blood donations are urgently needed worldwide. In Germany alone, around 15,000 blood units are needed every day. In order to find enough donors, you offer them money or gifts. Nevertheless, there are too few volunteers.
Anyone who wants to donate blood in Germany is thoroughly examined. Blood pressure and pulse should be normal and body temperature will also be measured. Until recently, a doctor always had to be there in person for this examination. But the transfusion law was changed in 2023 because there is a lack of medical professionals in some regions of Germany. Since then, it has been sufficient for regular blood donations if a doctor is connected via video.
However, many experts reject the use of telemedicine for blood donations. “Doctors are less able to assess the actual state of health of potential donors via video transmission,” says Sven Peine, a specialist in transfusion medicine. “If I sit opposite the person, this assessment is easier.” Organizations that represent sick people see it differently: they hope that the simpler rules will lead to more blood donations.
Another approach to counteract the lack of donor blood is artificial blood from the laboratory. British and French research teams have succeeded in artificially producing red blood cells. There were no problems with the first transfusions. However, the technology is complicated and far from fully developed: so far only very little blood can be produced with it and dangerous immune reactions can occur. For the time being, people will have to rely on normal blood donations.
