LONDON, July 9 -- The government of the United Kingdom issued the following news:
Following an extensive safety review, the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) has approved the use ofUK‑donorplasma for fivehigh‑prioritymedicines, helpingtostrengthen supplies of life-saving treatments usedby thousandsofcritically ill patients each year.
The decision, announced today (9 July2026), follows an assessment of the potential risk of variantCreutzfeldt‑Jakobdisease (vCJD). Independent experts concluded that the risk of transmission through these products is negligible.
Plasma proteins from donated human bloodcan be used to make medicinesknown asplasma-derived medicinal products (PDMPs). They aretypicallygiven to critically ill patients to replaceorrestore vital plasma proteins and help treat or prevent serious diseases, bleeding, infections, and other conditions where the body's natural plasma components are missing, deficient, or not functioning properly in the body.This includespatients with conditions such asbleeding disorders,neurological and autoimmune diseases,liverdiseaseor sepsis.
A precautionary banon the use of UK-sourced plasma formanufacturing these medicines has been in place since 1999, requiring reliance on imported plasma at a time of growing global demand.Restrictions have been lifted forimmunoglobulin andhuman albuminproductsin 2021and2023respectively.This latest decision extends the use of UK plasmafortheseessential treatments.
The review drew onadvancedmodellingto assess the risk of patients receiving the proposedfivePDMPs being infected with vCJD.
Allowing the use of plasma from UK blood donors for themanufacture of Fibrinogen,Prothrombin Complex Concentrates(PCCs),C1 Esterase Inhibitor, Factor X and Protein C,will aid supply andreducereliance on importsfrom other countries.
The public are encouraged to donate blood and plasma regularly, given the growing demand for PDMPs and potential supply constraints. Plasma can currently be donated directly at three specialist centres in Twickenham,Readingand Birmingham.Howeverit is also taken from every whole blood donation collected across the country.
Dr Alison Cave, MHRA Chief Safety Officer, said:
"Patient safety is our toppriorityand we will always take precautionary measures where there is anypossibility of risk to public health. Havingthoroughlyreviewed the evidence,we arenowconfident that the risk of usingplasma from UK donorsisnegligible,ensuring thesepotentially life-saving productswill becomeavailable tothose who needthem."
Gerry Gogarty, Director of Blood and Plasma supply at NHS Blood and Transplant, says:
"This announcement is another significant step which highlights the trust and confidence in UK plasma and our ability to create a more resilient UK supply of plasma medicines.
"These life-changing treatments are only possible thanks to our incredible blood and plasma donors. As the UK's ambition to increase plasma medicines production grows, we need more regular donors to ensure these vital treatments are available to every patient who depends on them.
"We urge people to come forward and help us continue to grow and boost our supplies."
To register or book an appointment to donate blood or plasma,visitthe NHSBT websiteor download the NHS Give Blood app.
Notes to editors
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Read the report
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The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA)is responsible forregulating all medicines and medical devices in the UK by ensuring they work and are acceptably safe. All our work is underpinned by robust and fact-based judgements to ensure that the benefits justify any risks.
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The MHRA is an executive agency of the Department of Health and Social Care.
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For mediaenquiries, please contact thenewscentre@mhra.gov.uk, or call on020 3080 7651.
Disclaimer: Curated by HT Syndication.
