A Defining Moment for Global Health: WHO Releases Groundbreaking Patient Blood Management Implementation Guidance

WHO - Courtesy of olrat - stock.adobe.com

Blood Works authors Shannon Farmer, Sherri Ozawa, Aryeh Shander, and Kevin Trentino with Derek Muhs, Lydia Delaney, Marisa Tarin (WAA), Sarah Jay (Blood Works Liaison), and Datuk Seri Dr. Dzulkefly Bin Ahmad, Malaysia’s Health Minister, at MyPBM Conference

Anemiathon 2025: Unprecedented global reach of 70 million

WHO’s new PBM guidance helps optimize blood use, improve patient outcomes, and reduce healthcare costs while addressing risks associated with blood transfusion.

WHO is equipping policymakers, healthcare leaders, and frontline professionals with the knowledge and tools to improve blood health and patient safety”

— Dr Irwin Gross

LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM, March 19, 2025 /EINPresswire.com/ -- The global medical community welcomes the much anticipated release of the World Health Organisation’s "Guidance on implementing patient blood management to improve global blood health status", a defining moment in global healthcare aimed at optimising blood use, improving patient outcomes, while reducing the overall cost of healthcare and reducing risks associated with blood transfusions.

Patient Blood Management (PBM) is a patient-centred, evidence-based approach to managing and preserving a patient’s own blood. It encompasses strategies to detect and treat anemia, minimize blood loss, and optimize coagulation—critical factors in reducing reliance on donor blood and ensuring better clinical outcomes. The WHO’s new guidance provides ministries of health, hospitals, and healthcare professionals with a clear framework for implementing PBM policies effectively at national and institutional levels.

Dr Irwin Gross, co-chair of the external steering committee behind the new guidance said, “This guidance is a landmark step in ensuring that patient blood management becomes a global priority. By offering a structured and proven implementation approach, WHO is equipping policymakers, healthcare leaders, and frontline professionals with the knowledge and tools to improve blood health and patient safety.”

The guidance is specifically designed to assist ministers of health, government agencies, health commissioners, chief medical officers, hospital administrators, regulatory bodies, health economists, epidemiologists, patient advocates, and medical professionals from all levels of care. It also extends to educators in medical and nursing schools, professional societies, and even industry leaders in pharmaceuticals, medical devices, and biotechnology.

For the public, this initiative means greater access to safer, more effective medical care. With the growing recognition that better blood management can significantly impact public health outcomes, this newly released PBM Implementation Guidance provides practical steps for healthcare systems to integrate PBM into routine care, aligning with WHO’s broader goals of universal health coverage and patient safety. It encourages early detection and treatment of anemia, identifies the risks associated with blood transfusion and promotes better surgical and medical outcomes. Patients undergoing surgery, cancer treatment, or childbirth, among other medical conditions, stand to benefit significantly from these new methods.

Healthcare educational organisations globally are celebrating the WHO guidance. A World Anemia Awareness (WAA) spokesperson commented: "We eagerly anticipate the impact this new guidance will have on health ministries globally. It's an opportunity to integrate PBM into policies impacting the health care options of millions around the world". WAA is an award-winning blood health organisation with a global reach of over 70 million in 118 countries. They create AI tailored campaigns and educational initiatives maximising the use of social media to make healthcare decisions more accessible to the public.

Dr Carolyn Burns, Global Blood Health spokesperson and Immediate Past President of SABM commented: “This is a pivotal era for patient blood management. With Blood Works: An Owner’s Guide and WHO’s new guidance, we now have the tools to implement the gold standard of care worldwide.”

Visit the World Anemia Awareness website to keep up to date with developments on the implementation of this guidance.

Lydia Delaney
Human Touch Media Foundation
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