Importance of maintaining a secure and resilient supply of donor animal blood for diagnostic microbiology

LabMed is working with BIVDA to highlight the importance of maintaining a secure and resilient UK supply of donor animal blood used to produce culture media essential for diagnostic microbiology. The Association is urging consideration of the impact of decisions affecting this specialised supply chain, recognising its critical role in patient diagnosis, antimicrobial stewardship, outbreak response and the continued delivery of safe NHS laboratory services.

Our support highlights the critical importance of maintaining a secure and resilient UK supply of donor animal blood used to manufacture blood agar culture media, an essential resource for diagnostic microbiology laboratories. Blood agar remains fundamental to laboratory medicine, enabling the culture and identification of bacterial pathogens, antimicrobial susceptibility testing, outbreak investigation, and surveillance of antimicrobial resistance. While molecular diagnostics continue to advance, they do not replace the need for culture-based microbiology.

The statement warns that the UK's highly specialised supply chain has limited resilience, with few facilities able to produce material that meets the stringent standards required for clinical diagnostics. LabMed is calling for this vital infrastructure to be recognised in future planning decisions and is encouraging consideration of solutions that support both the UK's transition to renewable energy and the continued availability of this essential diagnostic resource for patient care and public health.

Read full letter of support