The Generative Brain

Arbeitskreis Blut (German national advisory committee on blood, based at the Robert Koch Institute)

The Arbeitskreis Blut (AK Blut) is the expert committee on blood products and blood donation and transfusion services that the German Federal Ministry of Health sets up under section 24 of the Transfusion Act. It advises federal and state authorities on the safety of collecting and using blood and blood products and publishes its views as statements (Stellungnahmen) and votes (Voten), mostly in Bundesgesundheitsblatt. Its secretariat sits at the Robert Koch Institute (RKI). For prion disease it is the German body that wrote the national position papers on variant CJD and blood: a 2005 statement on variant CJD, an undated statement on vCJD risk from plasma derivatives, Votum 46 (2018) on handling vCJD in connection with blood, plasma and blood products, and statement S 27 (adopted 6 December 2024) on donor exclusion criteria, which led to the end of the German exclusion of donors for past UK stays. Information only, not medical, legal or regulatory advice.

Key facts

  • The legal basis is section 24 of the Transfusionsgesetz: the Federal Ministry of Health sets up the committee, which advises the competent federal and state authorities and is heard before ordinances under the Act are issued.
  • Members are appointed by the ministry on nomination from scientific and medical societies, medical bodies, pharmaceutical industry associations, public and municipal blood services, the German Red Cross blood services, nationwide patient groups (named: haemophilia associations), the Federal Ministry of Defence and the states; the ministry also names the chair.
  • For the 2024 to 2027 term the ministry appointed 35 members; the RKI page lists Dr. Ruth Offergeld (Berlin) as chair.
  • The secretariat (Geschaeftsstelle) that coordinates and supports the work is located at the RKI; members serve on a voluntary basis.
  • Under the rules of procedure (as of 23 February 2017) the committee meets as a rule two to three times a year; the Paul-Ehrlich-Institut, BfArM, the RKI, the ministry, the organ transplant foundation DSO, the statutory insurers umbrella body and the EDQM attend with an advisory voice and no vote, and deliberations are confidential.
  • The RKI says the committee has published more than 70 votes since 1993, of which 14 are currently listed as valid; the only prion-specific one is Votum 46 (dated April 2018 on the list) on procedure when variant CJD arises in connection with blood, plasma and blood products.
  • The RKI list of current statements includes three prion items: the 2005 statement on variant CJD (Bundesgesundheitsblatt 9/2005, posted 13 September 2005), an undated statement on the risk of vCJD transmission by plasma derivatives, and S 27 dated 6 December 2024.
  • S 27 on variant CJD exclusion criteria for blood and plasma donation was adopted on 6 December 2024 and posted by the RKI on 3 February 2025; the RKI page calls it the 95th meeting, the journal record the 96th.
  • S 27 cites EMA CHMP reflection paper revision 3, ECDC risk assessments on UK-stay donors and the PPTA prion removal data collection, among other references.
  • The Paul-Ehrlich-Institut published the revocation of its 2005 order excluding donors with surgery or transfusion in the UK on 28 May 2025, after S 27.

Timeline

  1. 1993Earliest year from which the RKI counts published votes of the committee.
  2. 2005Statement on variant CJD posted (Bundesgesundheitsblatt 9/2005).
  3. 2017Current rules of procedure dated.
  4. 2018Votum 46 on variant CJD in connection with blood, plasma and blood products (date as given on the votes list).
  5. 202089th meeting adopts Votum 48 on look-back procedures.
  6. 2024New term 2024 to 2027 begins with 35 appointed members.
  7. 2024Meeting (95th per RKI, 96th per journal record) adopts S 27 on vCJD donor exclusion.
  8. 2025RKI posts S 27.
  9. 2025Paul-Ehrlich-Institut publishes revocation of its 2005 UK surgery and transfusion order.
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