# Should I go donate blood? **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [September 12, 2001, 12:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-go-donate-blood/80972 "2001-09-12T00:54:56Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![hampster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/53a042/32.png) [@hampster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hampster)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2001, 12:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-go-donate-blood/80972/1 "2001-09-12T00:54:56Z")
My immediate thought is YES! but, I’ve tried to give blood in the past, but I’d spent more than 6 months in the UK during the Mad Cow Years; and so Canadian Blood Services says I’m ineligible. Normally this is fine with me, I understand the concerns about CJD and think they’re taking the right approach to it. Under normal circumstances, when the need isn’t too great. (Tho there is always a need.) But these are not normal times and people are being triaged. Should I lie on the disclosure form so that I can donate? Apart from that 1 thing… I’m just looking for input to help make my mind up. ---
**Author:** ![Zanshin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/e274bd/32.png) [@Zanshin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zanshin)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2001, 1:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-go-donate-blood/80972/2 "2001-09-12T01:15:07Z")
Lie? NO. The last thing you need to do is to contribute blood that could possibly be tainted or diseased. If you were healthy, I’d encourage you to donate ASAP – but as it is, please don’t risk it. If you MUST donate, go in and explain the circumstance and see if your blood can be accepted as ‘backup’ or something… but please don’t lie. That won’t do anyone any good. ---
**Author:** ![tracer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tracer/32/20578_2.png) [@tracer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tracer)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2001, 1:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-go-donate-blood/80972/3 "2001-09-12T01:36:21Z")
hampster wrote: > [@](#): > > I’ve tried to give blood in the past, but I’d spent > more than 6 months in the UK during the Mad Cow Years; > and so Canadian Blood Services says I’m ineligible. Canadian wimps. Come down here to the good ol’ U.S. of A.! We’ll take blood from **anybody!** ---
**Author:** ![hampster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/53a042/32.png) [@hampster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hampster)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2001, 1:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-go-donate-blood/80972/4 "2001-09-12T01:45:08Z")
Yeah you’re right Krunk, That’s what I was leaning toward after sober second thought kicked in. Just feel useless and want to help, I’ll make a cash donation to the Red Cross or something… Just because I ate british beef between 1980 and 2000… _whine_ I don’t feel any more insane than usual. If things get really bad in the next day or two I’ll phone and see if they’ve relaxed the criteria due to the emergency. ---
**Author:** ![jshore](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/b5e925/32.png) [@jshore](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jshore)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2001, 1:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-go-donate-blood/80972/5 "2001-09-12T01:45:43Z")
Sorry, tracer, but you’re wrong. We have the same rule down here. Actually, I think it’s 6 months living in the mainland Europe or 3 months living in the UK that disqualifies you. I agree with TIK…although the rule may seem silly especially in light of current circumstances, I don’t think you should take it upon yourself to decide the rule should be discarded in this emergency. That is for the Red Cross itself to decide. ---
**Author:** ![beergeek279](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7ea924/32.png) [@beergeek279](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/beergeek279)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2001, 1:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-go-donate-blood/80972/6 "2001-09-12T01:51:42Z")
Hell may have just frozen over here, but I have to agree with jshore! 😉 I think that the last thing that this country would need is a panic over contaminated blood (remember the HIV scares?) The rules may be fairly reactionary and inflexible and many people may disagree with them, but I think that they’re preferable to the alternative. ---
**Author:** ![jshore](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/b5e925/32.png) [@jshore](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jshore)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2001, 2:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-go-donate-blood/80972/7 "2001-09-12T02:34:02Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by RugbyMan \* > Hell may have just frozen over here, but I have to agree with jshore! 😉 Strange events make strange alliances I guess! 😉