Germany faces summer blood supply shortage

The Institute for Transfusion Medicine Suhl warned that blood reserves are dwindling as summer holidays reduce donor numbers across Germany. Hospitals need a steady supply of blood for emergencies, surgeries, cancer treatments and chronic illnesses, but blood products have a short shelf life and cannot be stockpiled for months. The institute appealed to all healthy adults to donate blood or plasma to replenish the depleted stocks and ensure patient care is not compromised.

Donors aged 18 and over can give whole blood up to six times a year (men) or four times (women) with a minimum eight‑week interval, and plasma up to 60 times annually. Collection sites are open in Eisenach, Erfurt, Ilmenau and other locations.