”EFS has just discovered the 48th blood group system in the world!", writes the French blood supply service (EFS) in a statement.
The blood sample that showed the new blood group was taken fifteen years ago when the woman underwent routine tests before an operation. Thierry Peyrard, medical biologist at EFS and one of the researchers behind the discovery, tells that they identified a "very rare" antibody in the blood when it was fully analyzed.
In 2019, the researchers were able to establish that it was a new blood group and in June 2025, the discovery was officially recognized by the International Society of Blood Transfusion (ISBT).
She is the only person in the world who is compatible with herself, says Peyard to AFP.
According to Peyard, the woman has inherited the blood group from her parents, who both had the mutated gene. Now he hopes to be able to find other people with the same blood group.
”The discovery of new blood groups means that patients with rare blood groups can be offered better care”, writes EFS in a statement.
