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After extensive tests in India failed, the patient’s blood sample was sent to the UK, where scientists took 10 months to identify it as a new blood group and named it CRIB

The name, Cromer India Bengaluru, was chosen due to its association with the Cromer blood group system. (Representative/AP)
A groundbreaking discovery has been made in Bengaluru where a woman’s unique blood group has been identified for the first time. The woman required surgery, but doctors were unable to match her blood group despite testing samples from about 20 individuals, including her family members.
Remarkably, the surgery proceeded without the need for a blood transfusion. However, determining her blood group became a significant challenge.
According to a BBC report, extensive tests in India failed to identify her blood group, prompting the sample to be sent to the UK’s International Blood Group Reference Laboratory (IBGRL). After 10 months of in-depth study at the Bristol lab, scientists identified it as a new blood group, naming it CRIB. This name, Cromer India Bengaluru, was chosen due to its association with the Cromer blood group system and its first identification in a patient from Bengaluru.
The discovery of CRIB was formally announced in June 2025 at the 35th International Society of Blood Transfusion Conference in Milan, Italy. This milestone is a source of pride for India, showcasing the country’s scientific prowess in the medical field and enhancing the global blood donation and transfusion system.
Identifying rare blood groups like CRIB is a significant breakthrough, aiding in understanding why blood matching can be difficult for some patients. With this information now in the international database, safe blood transfusions will be possible for any future patients with this rare blood group.
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Bangalore, India, India