Important contribution to the safety of blood products

The subgroup "Evaluation of blood-associated pathogens" of the Working Group Blood (AK Blut) met for the 100th time on 30 October 2019 at the Paul-Ehrlich-Institut (PEI), Federal Institute of Vaccines and Biomedicines. "The safety of blood products in Germany is one of the highest in the world," said Professor Isabelle Bekeredjian-Ding, head of the Department of Microbiology. "This is also thanks to this working group, which for 22 years has been contributing to measures taken by the Paul-Ehrlich-Institute to protect patients from the transmission of infections caused by blood and blood products."

Source: B. Morgenroth / PEI

Infectious pathogens can change and penetrate regions in which they have not previously occurred. This way, newly emerging viruses in Germany become relevant for the safety of blood products. The working group is an important forum for identifying possible threats to blood product safety from pathogens and discussing measures: the experts draw up opinions on potential hazards and procedures, and the PEI decides on possible measures on the basis of these opinions.

AK Blut, to which the sub-group belongs, is an important plenum for all actors dealing with blood as a medicine. Professor Rainer Seitz, who was head of the Department of Hematology and Transfusion Medicine at the PEI until 2018, established the working group at the PEI in 1997 and headed it until 2017. Professor Bekeredjian-Ding took over the management of the group in 2017 and continues the work. Professor Klaus Cichutek, President of the PEI, thanks the former and current members of the subgroup for their commitment and high productivity. "The PEI appreciates the assessment of the risks posed by blood-associated pathogens. It is an important basis for ensuring safety in the life cycle management of blood products".

Background

As a result of the blood AIDS scandal, the PEI was given responsibility for blood and blood products in 1994 and the Blood Working Group was founded at the Robert Koch Institute as an advisory body of the Federal Ministry of Health (Bundesgesundheitsministerium, BMG). Previously, there were major problems with the transmission of viral diseases through blood products, in particular HIV and hepatitis viruses. In 1997, the working group "Evaluation of blood-associated pathogens" started its work as a subgroup of the Working Group Blood in the PEI.