DHA Expands Blood Program Partnerships with Germany and New Zealand for Combat Support
The Defense Health Agency's Armed Services Blood Program (ASBP) has added Germany and New Zealand to its list of countries whose blood products can be utilized by U.S. military medical teams without follow-up infectious disease testing. This decision ensures that military hospitals maintain lifesaving transfusion capabilities during combat operations or mass-casualty events when U.S. blood is not accessible.
The ASBP evaluated the blood systems of both nations and confirmed their compliance with U.S. standards. The inclusion allows for reliance on partner nation blood supplies, enhancing mission readiness and reducing administrative burdens for medical units. The current list of comparable nations now includes Australia, Canada, France, Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, the Netherlands, the UK, Germany, and New Zealand.
