By Toba Owojaiye
In a groundbreaking medical revelation, scientists from France’s national blood agency, the Établissement Français du Sang (EFS), have discovered a previously unidentified human blood group system (the 48th of its kind) after a decade-long investigation involving a woman of Caribbean origin. The new blood type, named “Gwada Negative,” honors the patient’s ancestral ties to Guadeloupe, a French overseas region in the Caribbean.
Truth Live News gathered that the rare discovery was officially recognized in early June at a global conference in Milan by the International Society of Blood Transfusion (ISBT), the global authority on blood group classifications. Until now, the ISBT had recognized 47 blood group systems, including the widely known ABO and Rh systems.
“This is a historic moment for transfusion science,” said Dr. Thierry Peyrard, medical biologist and director of the National Reference Center for Blood Groups at EFS. “Gwada Negative is not just a new blood type — it opens an entirely new group system, with unique genetic characteristics and implications for transfusion medicine.”
The patient at the heart of the discovery is a 54-year-old woman of Guadeloupean descent, living in Paris. In 2011, while preparing for routine surgery, doctors detected an unusual antibody in her blood sample that did not match any known antigens in the existing blood group systems. At the time, due to limited technology, researchers were unable to decode the anomaly.
It wasn’t until 2019, using high-throughput DNA sequencing technologies, that scientists were able to pinpoint a novel genetic mutation responsible for the unique immune response. The woman was found to have inherited a previously undocumented mutation from both her mother and father, making her a homozygous carrier and, so far, the only known human with this blood type.
“She is the only person in the world who is compatible with herself,” Peyrard told AFP. “There is no known donor in the global registry who shares this profile.”
The name “Gwada Negative” is a blend of science and sentiment. “Gwada” is a colloquial nickname for Guadeloupe, frequently used by locals and the diaspora, while “negative” refers to the antigen absence that defines the new group.
“The name resonates well linguistically and culturally,” said Peyrard. “It reflects the origin of the discovery, and also helps humanize what is a highly technical finding.”
This rare blood type underscores the critical need for diversity in blood donation registries, particularly from underrepresented ethnic and geographic populations. Scientists say this case could spur new protocols for identifying, cataloging, and caring for patients with rare or unknown blood profiles.
According to the EFS, the discovery will contribute to improving precision transfusion medicine, especially for patients with rare blood types or complex immunohematological conditions. It also adds momentum to calls for increased genetic screening and blood bank diversification in Europe and globally
Researchers at EFS and international partners are now actively searching for other carriers of the Gwada Negative blood group. The hope is to find biological relatives or other individuals with similar genetic mutations, which could improve treatment options for this patient and others with rare profiles in the future.
“This discovery is a powerful reminder of how much we still don’t know about human biology,” said Peyrard. “It’s also a testament to the importance of curiosity-driven research and long-term scientific persistence.”
The ABO blood group system was first discovered in 1901 by Austrian biologist Karl Landsteiner, laying the foundation for modern transfusion medicine. Since then, technological advances, especially in DNA and molecular analysis, have accelerated the identification of new blood groups, many of which are extremely rare and ethnically linked.
With increasing global migration and demographic shifts, experts say that blood banks and health systems must expand their registries to accommodate rarer types and ensure equitable care.