Rare discovery: French scientists discover never-before-seen blood group system

A new blood type has officially been added to medical science, the 48th in the world, which was discovered by French scientists at the French Blood Establishment (EFS).

The newly identified blood group system, named PIGZ, was recognised in early June at the International Society of Blood Transfusion (ISBT) conference in Milan. This marks the first official addition to global blood classification since the last recognised system, bringing the total to 48.

As per their social media post by EFS, the breakthrough stems from a blood sample collected 15 years ago from a 54-year-old woman originally from Guadeloupe, a French overseas region in the southern Caribbean Sea. She was living in Paris and undergoing routine pre-surgery tests. At the time, researchers detected a highly unusual antibody, but lacked the technological means to investigate further.

They first came across this rare antibody in 2011, mentioned Thierry Peyrard, a medical biologist at EFS. 

The discovery was spearheaded by researchers Thierry Peyrard, Slim Azouzi, and teams from CNRGS and UMR S1134, who have since been applauded for their contribution to global health.

According to EFS, identifying rare blood types like PIGZ is crucial for improving care in patients with uncommon blood profiles. It ensures safer blood transfusions and expands knowledge in immunohematology, a field critical for both emergency medicine and genetic research.