July 18, 2023

“Boy in the Bubble” at the Reichstag building in Berlin

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German patient organisation dsai e.V. draws attention to the threatening immunoglobulin supply situation through the “Boy in the Bubble“ initiative.

As part of World PI Week, a large live event took place in Berlin in front of the Reichstag building (the seat of the German Bundestag = parliament) with the aim of drawing the attention of politicians and the public to primary immunodeficiencies and the threatening supply situation with immunoglobulins in Germany and throughout Europe. At the associated press conference, Gabriele Gründl, Federal Chairwoman of the German Patient Organisation for Primary Immunodeficiencies (dsai), gave an impressive speech on congenital immunodeficiencies and the threatening supply situation regarding plasma products.

In the 1970s, doctors had to watch helplessly as people with immunodeficiencies died from the slightest infection or had to lead absolutely isolated lives. A striking example of this was young David Vetter, who, at the time, sadly became famous as the “Boy in the Bubble” as he had to live in a sterile plastic bubble from birth due to a severe combined immunodeficiency. He represents, like no other, what life would be like if there were no life-saving immunoglobulins.

The unusual live installation, featuring more than 100 supporters in large plastic bubbles, attracted the attention of people passing by and was also highly visible to the parliamentarians in the Berlin Reichstag. Thus, the initiative “Boy in the Bubble” made clear how important a quick diagnosis is and why therapy with immunoglobulins must absolutely be secured! A patient‘s isolated life in a sterile plastic bubble must never again be a reality!