Hundreds with rare conditions to benefit from new blood matching test
NHS launches personalised ‘blood matching’ test
- A new personalised “blood-matching” test has been launched in the UK for patients with rare conditions requiring regular blood transfusions.
- The test utilises genetics to generate detailed blood group information, allowing for closer matching of donor blood and reducing the risk of severe reactions.
- Approximately 300 individuals with rare inherited anaemias are initially eligible for the test, along with all patients suffering from sickle cell disorder and thalassaemia.
- This genotyping testing programme is a collaborative effort between NHS Blood and Transplant and NHS England.
- The initiative is supported by the family of Woody Mayers, a 22-month-old boy with a rare anaemia who relies on monthly blood transfusions, highlighting the importance of well-matched blood.