EFS: “There are 390 blood groups, of which 250 are considered rare”

The French Blood Establishment (EFS) launches a new rare blood group awareness week. On this occasion, the members of the civil operator return to this essential issue.

“Have you ever heard of the Bombay, Rhesus null or even Duffy null blood groups? While most of us are familiar with blood groups A, AB, B, O and Rhesus + and -, the diversity of blood groups is in reality much broader. There are in fact 390 blood groups, of which 250 are considered rare”, first explains the institution in a press release.

A blood group is rare when it affects less than 4 people in 1,000

In France, a blood group is rare when it affects less than 4 people in 1,000. “This means that the frequency of these blood groups in the population is low enough to create an imbalance between the number of donors and the needs of patients: a real challenge for transfusion!” continue the activists.

It is estimated that 700,000 to one million people carry rare blood groups in our country. Those from sub-Saharan Africa, the overseas territories (Martinique, Guadeloupe, Guyana) or the Indian Ocean (Réunion, Mayotte) are more likely to be affected.

“There is in fact a geography of blood groups: certain people may have a blood group that is common in a particular geographic area, but less common, or even rare, within the country in which they live. For example, rhesus negative, which is very common in Europe, is almost non-existent on the Asian continent”, details the EFS.

Whether following chemotherapy, hemorrhage caused by a car accident or even as part of treatment for a genetic disease, it is necessary to find a product compatible with the patient’s blood when a transfusion must be carried out, that is to say as close as possible to its characteristics. This compatibility is essential for the transfusion to be effective and to avoid serious complications.

The EFS is looking for people who have a rare blood type

This is why, in order to treat people with rare blood groups, the EFS looks for people who have similar blood characteristics.

“This quest for the most varied blood groups possible is all the more important since certain pathologies, such as sickle cell anemia, mainly affect people of African or West Indian origin,” further specifies the EFS.

“It is estimated that there are nearly 1 million carriers of a rare blood group in France, and only 10% know it. There is therefore a real challenge in making this better known in order to be able to mobilize the entire population French in all its diversity!” concludes Professor Jacques Chiaroni, director of EFS PACA-Corsica.

For its new edition of rare blood group awareness week, which will be held from January 29 to February 4, 2024, several actions are being implemented by the EFS throughout the country.