England and Wales are facing a "severe" shortage of  the vials used in blood tests, forcing doctors to cut back on tests so that "clinically important" ones are not at risk, according to the British Medical Association [BMA].

NHS England, the country's national health service, warned earlier this week that its provider of blood tubes is facing a supply shortage and has asked doctors to stop non-urgent tests until September 17.

It advised that these include screening patients for pre-diabetes, allergies and fertility in people under 35 years old.

And it asked acute and mental health trusts to cut back their tests by 25 percent.

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However the BMA, the  trade union and professional body for UK doctors, said in a statement on Saturday that the situation was "now severe" and that "even the most clinically important blood tests may be at risk" if the "NHS does not reduce the amount being used in the coming days."

"This crisis has put doctors and their patients in a terrible, unenviable position," said David Wrigley from the BMA. 

"No doctor knowingly undertakes unnecessary blood tests, and to now have to ration all those we are doing, as well as cancel hundreds more, goes against everything we stand for as clinicians."

In a letter to doctors published on August 26, the NHS warned that the situation will get worse. It said, "the supply position remains constrained and is forecasted to become even more constrained over the coming weeks."

It added that "alternative products are being sought to alleviate these constraints, and all labs that will be switching to these supplies have received samples for testing and validation.

"However, it will take time for these products to be imported and delivered in volume to services. It is important and urgent that demand is reduced as much as possible."

According to the NHS, there is a global shortage of blood tubes, and the NHS' provider, Becton Dickinson, was not exempt.

Becton Dickinson claimed the shortage was caused in part by an increased demand because of COVID-19 testing. And that it was also dealing with "transportation challenges that have affected all industries, including port and transport capacity, air freight capacity and UK border challenges."

Becton Dickinson, a U.S. based company, is also scrambling to increase its rapid COVID-19 test supply in the U.S. after an increase in demand outmatched the number of tests available.