Golden Blood (Rh-null): The Rarest Blood Type in the World
Only a few dozen people on Earth have been reported to have Rh-null blood, nicknamed golden blood. What it is, why it's so valuable, the health challenges, and how it was discovered.
If you think RH-negative blood is rare, meet Rh-null: a blood type so rare that only a few dozen people have ever been reported to have it. Doctors nicknamed it golden blood.
What Rh-null means
The Rh blood group system is huge, with dozens of different antigens (markers) on the surface of red blood cells. When people say "positive" or "negative," they're talking about just one of them, the D antigen. RH-negative people lack D but still have other Rh antigens.
People with Rh-null lack all of the Rh antigens. Their red blood cells are missing the Rh proteins entirely.
How rare?
As of the latest reports, only 43 people worldwide have been reported to have it, with only a handful of active donors. Estimates put it at roughly 1 in 6 million people.
Why it's called golden blood
Because Rh-null blood lacks all Rh antigens, it can be a lifesaver for patients with very rare blood types who need a transfusion and can't accept anything else. And because there are so few donors, every unit is precious. The few known donors are contacted through international rare-blood networks, and the blood is expensive to collect and ship.
The catch for people who have it
Golden blood is hard to live with:
- Finding blood for themselves is very hard. An Rh-null person who needs a transfusion can generally only safely receive Rh-null blood, so some donate and store their own blood ahead of time.
- Health effects: red cells without Rh proteins can have structural and membrane defects that may cause hemolytic anemia (red blood cells breaking down early).
Discovery
The first Rh-null blood was found in 1961 in an Aboriginal Australian woman.
Where it fits
Most people have one of eight common blood types. See blood types ranked from most common to rarest, and our guide to RH-negative blood.
Want to help people with rare blood types? Regular blood donation matters. Your local blood bank can test your type.
Source (1)
Photo: USNH Yokosuka, ASBBC Okinawa Strengthen Indo-Pacific Readiness with 2026 Blood D.jpg) by U.S. Navy photo by Daniel Taylor, Public domain.