Georgian Health Minister, blood bank representatives discuss EU-standard 2025 blood safety law implementation

Georgian Health Minister Mikheil Sarjveladze on Tuesday discussed the planned full implementation of the law on quality and safety of human blood and its components across the country based on European Union standards by 2025 with representatives of domestic blood banks.

The Ministry of Health said the new law would shift the basis of blood donation to the “principle of altruism” with the main goal of “ensuring a safe blood system for citizens” and ensuring compliance of the blood provision system with EU “standards and values”, as required by the Association Agreement signed between the country and the bloc in 2014.

The meeting also addressed challenges in the field, emphasising the importance of joint efforts by the state and private sector to protect the rights and safety of patients, the body added.

Representatives of the sector welcomed the implementation of the principle of altruistic donation and stressed the significance of active involvement from the state, private sector and citizens in the process.