New Jersey Society of Blood Bank Professionals

obviously there is a problem with mad cow disease.
what’s not known is how long you can have the infection without symptoms.
somehow i’m guessing that you’d not want blood from someone from Swaziland.
in the same way, i’d prefer that your blood not be mixed in with that national blood supply.
i’ll be more than happy to grant that the comparison is not nearly fair.
but i hope you get the idea.

References :
http://www.avert.org/worlstatinfo.htm
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It depends on where you lived and the cumulative time you were there. To simply quote the American Red Cross

Any person who lived in certain parts of the world during certian times are unable to donate due to the risk of the human variant of Mad Cow Disease. The human variant is 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
Belgium
Bosnia/Herzegovina
Bulgaria
Croatia
Czech Republic
Denmark
Finland
France
Germany
Greece
Hungary
Ireland (Republic of)
Italy
Kosovo (Federal Republic of Yugoslavia)
Liechtenstein
Luxembourg
Macedonia
Montenegro (Federal Republic of Yugoslavia)
Netherlands (Holland)
Norway
Poland
Portugal
Romania
Serbia (Federal Republic of Yugoslavia)
Slovak Republic (Slovakia)
Slovenia
Spain
Sweden
Switzerland
Turkey
Yugoslavia (Federal Republic includes Kosovo, Montenegro, and Serbia)

References :
http://www.redcross.org/services/biomed/0,1082,0_557_,00.html#vcjd

The article on antibiotics are very good.

My mother called me right before there was a big blood drive at my college. She informed me that I’d never be able to give blood because of the nuc plant explosion. SO, though it is stupid that I am unable to help in a needy area, I’d rather not infect someone with something that I may or may not have.

The assumpton is that no-one in the USA could possibly have come into contact with ‘Mad Cow Disease’ unless they had visited any of the countries lited. The sad part is it is a ridiculous assumption since ‘Mad Cow Disease’ has been around in the United States as long as anywhere else, it was (and still is) called by a different name – In the USA cattle that are unble to stand (as in Mad Cows Disease’ are simply called ‘downers’ and less than 2% are actually tested for the disease (something the French insisted on doing during the 80′s also). By not acknowledgeing the existence of ‘Mad Cow Disease’ in their countries, the USA and France both used it’s existence elsewhere as an excuse for blatant protectionism and the banning of the importation of Beef and Beef products.

I went today to donate plasma and was also told that due to living in Italy for 5 years previously that I cannot donate. Not only plasma, but blood, or anything. I assume by anything that meant “anything”. What I mean is that I cannot donate organs, (skin is included as it is an organ), eyes, etc. This really sucks since I have always wanted to be an organ donor once I have passed, if possible.
What I think is worse though, is the fact that we were never informed that we MAY have been exposed. She informed me that during this time the Military had purchesed meat that had tested positive. This meat was served on bases in Europe. Because we lived on the economy, and not on base, thus hardly ever eating on base that we were a much lower risk. However, still a risk. I do not think that I have such disease, but it would have been nice to at least be informed so that we could beaware of things to possibly look for, right! I feel like mooing…

What i find upsettign about this situation is that i was never notified by the army. I served in germany between the specified period and should have been informed. The military knew of this problem in 2001 they should have let everyone who served know about it. Here\’s a dod meeting transcript where this subject was discussed.

http://www.defense.gov/transcripts/transcript.aspx?transcriptid=930

I am now living in the USA and today i was told i cannot give blood as i am from the UK, this is despite having given over 60 pints of blood since i was 18…….

I served in the military and did my 2 year stint in germany, when i came back i donated plasma (a clinic DR okayed me) i moved and another plasma center told me i could not donate because i was in germany, and the worker after i got added to the banned list told me IF I HAD LIED about my service i would have been able to donate, this donation place that removed me was willing to take blood from drunks and people who stepped out side to smoke blunts or weed, there is definately something wrong with this entire picture..I am a donor and if i have not had symptoms in 20+years you\’d think i am not a carrier…

I have to agree with Chris and Dave N. I was a military “dependent” in Italy- now over 25 years ago. I happen to be a vegetarian but was told I could have been exposed “unknowingly.” Ridiculous!

Shame on the protectionists who for the sake of profit are denying patients access to some of the healthiest blood and organs available. (The military population is generally more fit than the average American.)

Americans who eat fast food are far more likely to be exposed to mad cow than any vegetarian. We know we have mad cow in America because of it’s prevalence in wild game-its quite common in deer, for example.

There has never been a case of mad cow that was shown to have been hidden and dormant for decades in someone’s blood, suddenly bursting forth for no apparent reason–but this what we are told to fear.

Shame on the Red Cross for playing politics as well.

The more pointed question is why are we not tested for it.
I was in the Air Force stationed in England from 81 to 83 I needed to donate blood for my Dad for an upcoming surgery back in 88 and I was denied because of the potential for mad cow.
What is the US Government not telling us?

If that is the case….why are other Americans allowed to donate blood since there have been confirmed cases of mad cow disease in the United States? Does that exclude everyone in this country since these individuals have been diagnosed?
If a person from the United States moved to another country or Canada let’s say….they wouldn’t be allowed to donate blood since it was confirmed in 2002 or 2003 that the United States had it’s first case of mad cow disease.

Just went to donate blood for a friend that was getting a liver transplant. Found out that I am ineligible to donate blood because I served in the army from 1984-1986 and was stationed in germany. How do they determine exactly the years 1980-1996 to be the dates of ineligibility? What are the chances anybody living there has CJD? (human equivalant of mad cow disease). From what I read there are only 2 ways of knowing and only 1 way to know for sure. Last one being an autopsy on your brain, the other a spinal tap that from what I’ve been told is inconclusive. Isn’t there anyway in this day and age of modern medicine a way to tell if you are infected with CJD? I’ve researced and also found that symtoms could occur anywhere from 5-40 years from ever you may have eaten contaminated beef. Plese tell me the FDA is at least trying to figuire out better way to figure out exactly who was infected in any.

No. I’ve recently done research on CJD at university and all findings are STILL inconclusive. There’s no way to test it because the proteins in your brain that make you ill are very nearly identical to the normal proteins in your brain that don’t make you ill. Also there are so few cases of human mad cow disease that they stuggle to do actual research!
The rule is so stupid. I live in England and can happily give blood over here. Seems stupid that if I moved to USA like I want to I wouldn’t be able to.

The reason they don’t test for it is that it can only be reliably be done during an autopsy – you don’t want them to kill you before “donating” blood, do you?
I was in the wrong place too and so I’ve researched it slightly and it’s really hard to determine anything much about it. Too vague and very unlikely that this is the worst thing that would come from your blood. I thought the NIH said most recently it is NOT transmitted by blood transfusion – doctors doing an autopsy or brain biopsy sound more at risk than anyone else.
I guess I should tell my children that they can’t donate either, they were little tiny children and probably won’t really be sure what years they lived overseas.

Absolutely ridiculous! I have been back in the States since Jan 1986, but cannot donate blood because I may have Mad Cow…how long does that disease live without symptoms??? Blood donors are few and far between, but because my dad served his country, my blood is not good enough…wow! Does this mean if my child needs a transfusion, I cannot donate????

I was stationed with the USAF in England from 1989 to 1992 and everytime there is a blood drive I was told the same thing. “Because of Mad Cow Disease and you were stationed in England during those times you can not give blood.” The worst part is I am type O Neg “the universal donor.”

It is amizing that I want to give blood many times and was turned town even though It has been over 20 years since I was stationed in England.

I’m in the same boat and it’s ridiculous. I’m a 30 yr old woman, never smoked, drank, or done drugs in my life. Very healthy. I was a military dependent stationed in Italy for 3 years over 20 yrs ago. I now work for the federal govt and the red cross comes to my federal building for blood drives. We are allowed 4 hrs off if we give blood but I can’t because I may have mad cow disease! I used to give blood throughout my high school years(in the US)and it wasn’t a problem until now.