The European Commission is continuing with its assessment of European rules on the safety quality of human blood, tissues and cells. After having obtained responses to its road map and an external study carried out by a contractor, the Commission launched a public consultation with citizens and stakeholders on Monday 29 May.
The Commission is attempting to establish whether the 2002 directive setting out human blood quality and safety standards (2002/98/EC) and the 2004 directive establishing standards for human tissue and cells (2004/23/CE) have attained their initial objectives and whether they are still appropriate.
Vytenis Andriukaitis, the Commissioner for Health and Food Safety, stated, “The blood, tissues and cells are used for routine procedures (such as in vitro fertilisation and cornea transplants), as well as for emergency procedures (such as blood transfusions following serious injuries). It is therefore essential that EU legislation ensures the highest level of safety. Patients’ lives depend upon it”.
The public consultation is open until 21 August 2017. The results from it will be used in a final evaluation report that will be published towards the end of 2018.
Every year, almost 26 million blood transfusions and 1 million tissue and cell donations are made in Europe. The roadmap text can be consulted at:
http://ec.europa.eu/smart-regulation/roadmaps/docs/plan_2016_154_evaluation_eu_legislation_on_blood_en.pdf (Original version in French by Sophie Petitjean)