[Bunstar]

Hi all,

An e-mail went round work today from the NZ Blood Service asking for donors as they have shortage of blood etc etc. I've always thought about doing this but am a bit scared of needles. Anyway I was seriously considering being brave and putting my name forward, but...

...then I read the small print:

You must not have lived in the United Kingdom, France or the Republic of Ireland between 1980 and 1996 for a cumulative 6 months or more.

This really surprised me!!! This must exclude a lot of people from giving blood when you consider the proportion of the population that have emigrated here from the UK and the number of Kiwis who will have spent longer than 6 months in the UK on their OE during that period. No wonder there's a shortage!

I'm guessing this restriction is there due to mad cow disease??? Anyone know???

[IanW99]

...
I'm guessing this restriction is there due to mad cow disease??? Anyone know???

:yes

Ian

[mcacmartin]

We have the same rule here in Canada and it bugs me to no end. I lived in the UK for years and I know my blood is fine (thanks to various blood tests). It pains me that I am not allowed to donate much need blood.

[Moorf]

Yes, as a regular donor in the UK I was disappointed at the stipulation. Shame they can't add another blood test to the medical to clear/stop people from donating...

[Joolzr]

I don't think there is a simple test for CJD disease yet- even in people who they think have it.

Julie

[ellenmelon]

I don't think there is a simple test for CJD disease yet- even in people who they think have it.

Julie

yep, as far as i know they can only find out when the person has died and they can look at the brain during a autopsy.

my best childhood friend's dad died from the disease. it was really sad, such a terrible disease :no

[KerryS]

vCJD has had an enormous impact on blood stocks in many countries - there is a huge list of countries who ban those who have resided in the UK from donating, and since 2004 the UK also prevents anyone who has received a blood transfusion since 1980 from donating.
I was a bit gutted as I wanted to donate when I went back to the UK earlier this year, but was unable to under the 2004 rule - even though I had my transfusion in France.
My blood isn't wanted anywhere in the world now, even though I have quite a rare blood group (A-).

[mgbridges]

I'm guessing this restriction is there due to mad cow disease??? Anyone know???

Yep, correct.


This really surprised me!!! This must exclude a lot of people from giving blood when you consider the proportion of the population that have emigrated here from the UK and the number of Kiwis who will have spent longer than 6 months in the UK on their OE during that period. No wonder there's a shortage!

Totally bugs me as well but I appreciate they need to be careful. I even had to stop giving blood in the UK for a while whilst I established whether I'd received any blood during my C-section. I was so out of it at the time I didn't remember and had to write to the hospital to find out! :roll

Anneliese

[M-Squared]

It's a bit nutty, but I can see the reasons behind it. I'm AB+. Is that common? Is it one of the rhesuses they need? Apparently only 4% of Americans have AB+.

[dharder]

The funny thing is that I had to stop giving blood in the UK because I developed antibodies during my second pregnacy (I'm rhesus -ve). When I talked to an NZ friend who is a doctor, she sent me straight to the blood bank here, who told me they'd love to have me donate plasma, as they use the antibodies to manufacture the vaccine. Go figure.

Daniela

[Bergita]

Well, just for once, I feel good about donating blood! Today I donated for the first time in years, I'm not underweight (more towards the other end of the scale!), my blood pressure is not too low and I don't have an iron deficiency! These are all the things that have stopped me before. I saw my sister get 14 units of blood just before christmas and I now truly appreciate how giving blood saves lives.

I must say, they are very careful here. They ask 1 million questions and make you lie down for 6 minutes after donating. I wonder who came up with 6 minutes as being the optimum time...?

And M-Squared, I am in the position to tell you (from recently acquired blood donor pamphlet) that 3% of all people have AB+.

[diforsyth]

Annoys me big time they can't perofrm additional tests. I'm O neg and know all blood groups can accept my blood and is especially useful for emergency tranfusions.

[Chaz]

It's a bit nutty, but I can see the reasons behind it. I'm AB+. Is that common? Is it one of the rhesuses they need? Apparently only 4% of Americans have AB+.

AB+ is fairly scarce. Ironically. both myself and the Mrs are AB+.

I lived in South Africa and would often be excluded from giving blood on this basis alone, despite numerous tests (including HIV / Aids) giving me the all clear.

[peebles16]

Annoys me big time they can't perofrm additional tests. I'm O neg and know all blood groups can accept my blood and is especially useful for emergency tranfusions.


As was said earlier there are no additional tests for mad cow disease - only dissecting the brain after the fact... Believe me it annoys the hell out of those folks who work in the field of blood transfusion too ;)

karenx

[Alex40]

I'm guessing this restriction is there due to mad cow disease??? Anyone know???


Yes, it's the same here in Australia, I am excluded for being in the Uk and NI at that time as well..

[Brian]

It's a bit nutty, but I can see the reasons behind it. I'm AB+. Is that common? Is it one of the rhesuses they need? Apparently only 4% of Americans have AB+.

I'm AB+ as well and looked into this a while back. We're universal receivers, meaning we can accept transfusions of any blood type. If we donate, only other AB+ people can accept our blood. So... although our type is rare, it's not really in demand.

O- is the opposite - they can only accept O- blood and can donate to anyone, so their blood is always in high demand.

Plasma works the other way - anyone can accept our plasma. Has anyone here had experience with plasma donation in NZ?

[dilanium]

AB+ people can accept all blood types, so even though it's not very common, it's not really a big deal.