Can I still give blood?

Factual Questions
1

I started giving blood recently and my second “go” if you will is coming up soon. The only problem is that I have heard recently on the news that they are no longer excepting donations from anyone who has had a blood transfusion since 1980 because of variant CJD (or something along those lines). I had one, or so it is believed because my mum’s a little hazy on the facts, around the early 90’s when I was but a wee lad. Now I’m thinking that I can’t donate which is a MAJOR bummer. :frowning:

But can I be tested for the disease so that I can be cleared and continue donating?

Also, during my first visit I told the sister in charge that I had had a blood transfusion. She asked why and I told her what I knew. She gave me the all clear. This was before the news story but pretty close to it so is it possible that by my telling her my blood has already been tested?

Someone help me because I’d hate to think I can’t keep donating and I’m on the Bone Marrow Register as well so I may be discontinued from that as well. :frowning:

2

If you’re still in the UK, the National Blood Service(Quite a sinister name) says you’ve only got to wait a year from a transfusion and doesn’t want you to have two relatives with CJD. The Red Cross in the US doesn’t want donors who’ve had transfusions since 1980 in the UK, but transfusions in the US are okay.
-Lil

3

In the United States, this is true. Dunno about the UK. Also, having lived or traveled in the UK or other places where CJD has been found for a surprisingly short period of time disqualifies you from donating for life.

Here is the Red Cross’s explanation: http://www.redcross.org/services/biomed/blood/supply/CJDv.html . In short, there is no screening test, and it is not known whether vCJD can be transferred via transfused blood, so better safe than sorry.