The safe supply of red blood cell concentrates is a constant challenge for blood establishments in Germany. Especially in the summer months and during the holiday season, fewer red blood cell concentrates are available for the treatment of patients. This can be triggered by a lower volume of donations. Other factors such as the demographic change of the donor collective or the seasonal donation reserve also influence the supply situation. The Paul-Ehrlich-Institut provides publicly accessible information on the supply in Germany of red blood cell concentrates of all blood groups (blood donation barometer) on its website. This provides information on the weekly, nationwide supply situation.
Representation of the national supply of red blood cell concentrates for all eight blood groups. The range corresponds to the predicted duration of sufficient supply in days and is based on the experience of the blood establishments from the previous year. If the range is more than three days (yellow and green), the supply corresponds to the daily demand for red blood cell concentrates; if the range of assured supply falls below three days, the daily demand is greater than the supply (red).
Source: Paul-Ehrlich-Institut
Together with the blood establishments, the Paul-Ehrlich-Institut has established a database in which, for the first time, the weekly stocks of red blood cell concentrates of all blood groups are recorded, evaluated and graphically displayed nationwide in a blood donation barometer. Faster mutual information between the blood establishments about the supply situation is an essential basis for blood establishments to improve the supply of red blood cell concentrates.
According to section 21 of the Transfusion Act, all blood establishments in Germany must report their production figures annually and retrospectively to the Paul-Ehrlich-Institut's database.
As part of a pilot project running from 2021 to 2022, the current nationwide supply situation of red blood cell concentrates was recorded with the help of participating blood establishments . The participating blood establishments represent more than half of the red blood cell concentrates produced in Germany. The predicted duration of sufficient supply of red blood cell concentrates ("blood supply") is given in days and is calculated by comparing the stocks reported by the participating blood establishments with the consumption figures for the corresponding calendar week of the previous year.
The blood donation barometer is now published weekly on the website of the Paul-Ehrlich-Institut. It illustrates the calculated supply of red blood cell concentrates of all reporting blood establishments in relation to the respective calendar week. With a stock availability of more than three days, it is assumed on the basis of empirical values that the daily requirement for the supply of patients can be covered. If the supply of red blood cell concentrates per blood group falls below the quantity sufficient for a three-day supply, measures such as an increased volume of donations are required to ensure patient care.
This enables a faster exchange of information between the blood establishments and can thus facilitate further measures to ensure supply.
The blood establishments are responsible for determining and implementing appropriate measures.
Updated: 10.08.2023
