Transfusion medicine : the French model

Transfusion medicine

The French model

Founded on 1 January 2000 and placed under the authority of the Ministry of Health, the French Blood Establishment (EFS) is the sole public provider of national blood transfusion services in France. ISO 9001: 2008 certified and formed by seventeen régional establishments, the EFS manages the activities of collection, preparation, testing and distribution of labile blood products. Its role in maintaining the country's self-sufficiency in labile blood products, whilst meeting the highest quality and safety standards, makes it a major contributor to public health in France.

Three major features set French transfusion medicine apart from other international models :

• in France, blood donation is underpinned by four founding principles : it is anonymous, voluntary, non-remunerated and not-for-profit. « Ethical blood donation » is the foundation of the French model ;
• this model is led by a single government agency, the EFS, which has a monopoly over the distribution of labile blood products to ensure constant availability across the country ;
• delivery is inseparable from immunohaematology (the EFS is the largest medical testing laboratory in France) and transfusion support, which is also provided by the EFS, to guide the prescriber towards the « right prescription » (the right product for the right patient).

Through the EFS, the French State is therefore responsible for self- sufficiency, health safety and the efficient management of the rare and precious commodity that is human blood. The French model is one of the few to provide both « ethical blood donation » and internationally recognized efficiency.