Blood donation requirements?

Question

Hi, I have read that people who lived in the uk from like the 1980s to 1996 cannot give blood for fear that their blood may be contaminated with mad cow disease. Plus, the blood bank can't test the blood for it as no test exists. However, I didn't was a vegatarian when I lived in the UK. Also, if the person had the mad cow disease, wouldn't they have died anyway (and dead people can't donate blood)? So what's the point of this rule?

Answer 1

This is true.  

The Red Cross' explaination:

In some parts of the world, cattle can get an infectious, fatal brain disease called Mad Cow Disease. In these same locations, humans have started to get a new disease called variant Creutzfeld-Jacob Disease (vCJD) which is also a fatal brain disease. Scientists believe that vCJD is Mad Cow Disease that has somehow transferred to humans, possibly through the food chain.

There is now evidence from a small number of case reports involving patients and laboratory animal studies that vCJD can be transmitted through transfusion. There is no test for vCJD in humans that could be used to screen blood donors and to protect the blood supply. This means that blood programs must take special precautions to keep vCJD out of the blood supply by avoiding collections from those who have been where this disease is found.

At this time, the American Red Cross donor eligibility rules related to vCJD are as follows:

You are not eligible to donate if:

From January 1, 1980, through December 31, 1996, you spent (visited or lived) a cumulative time of 3 months or more, in the United Kingdom (UK), or

From January 1, 1980, to present, you had a blood transfusion in any country(ies) in the (UK). The UK includes any of the countries listed below.

Channel Islands

England

Falkland Islands

Gibraltar

Isle of Man

Northern Ireland

Scotland

Wales

You were a member of the of the U.S. military, a civilian military employee, or a dependent of a member of the U.S. military who spent a total time of 6 months on or associated with a military base in any of the following areas during the specified time frames

From 1980 through 1990 - Belgium, the Netherlands (Holland), or Germany

From 1980 through 1996 - Spain, Portugal, Turkey, Italy or Greece.

You spent (visited or lived) a cumulative time of 5 years or more from January 1, 1980, to present, in any combination of country(ies) in Europe, including

in the UK from 1980 through 1996 as listed in above

on or associated with military bases as described above, and

in other countries in Europe as listed below:

Albania

Austria

Montenegro (Federal Republic of Yugoslavia)

Belgium

Bosnia/Herzegovina

Bulgaria

Croatia

Norway

Poland

Czech Republic

Denmark

Romania

Finland

France

Slovak Republic (Slovakia)

Germany

Greece

Spain

Hungary

Ireland (Republic of)

Italy

Kosovo (Federal Republic of Yugoslavia)

Liechtenstein

Luxembourg

Macedonia

Netherlands (Holland)

Portugal

Serbia (Federal Republic of Yugoslavia)

Slovenia

Sweden

Switzerland

Turkey

Yugoslavia (Federal Republic includes Kosovo, Montenegro, and Serbia)

Answer 2

You must be at least 17 years old to donate to the general blood supply, or 16 years old if allowed by state law.

Answer 3

People don't die from mad cow disease itself, that's the bovine (cow) disease.  People die from a disease called  Creutzfeld-Jacob Disease that is caused by eating cows that have mad cow disease.  

The point of the rule would be that the people don't die immediately upon eating the cow.  They may not even develop the disease or experience symptoms for quite a while.  So if they were to donate blood during that time, they may inadvertantly pass on the disease.

Even though you may be a vegetarian, the hospital has no way of verifying that.

Answer 4

This disease can have an incubation period of 20+ years.  It will be interesting to see what happens in the UK in the next 10+ years.  I think it shows that you are not meant to feed animal waste products to animals that are naturally herbivores.  BTW, Australia has the same rules as the USA.

Answer 5

:) ha mad cow disease

those cows aren't mad, they just need some action!

Answer 6

The requirement is 18 where I live and have basic good health.  you have to weigh at least 115lbs.  I can't because I weigh only 100lbs.  To bad because I have o positive and it is sorely needed.