Comments on: Why can’t I donate blood if I’ve lived on a military base during certain years?

By: Jen C.

Jen C. — Sun, 04 Oct 2009 05:33:25 +0000

Because you may be carrying the human equivalent of mad cow disease, Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease. The same thing happened to me. I lived on military bases in Germany from 1982-1986, and from 1993-1996. When I tried to donate blood a few months ago, they wouldn’t let me donate and that’s the explanation I was given.

By: Dmitri S

Dmitri S — Mon, 30 Mar 2009 01:24:11 +0000

Julie M is correct about the point on Europe but it’s wrong to say you can never donate blood again. Red Cross is working with FDA to change these rules.

By: Julie M

Julie M — Sat, 05 Jul 2008 23:51:38 +0000

it's not that you were on a military base- it's that you were in Europe during the madcow scare. if you lived there long enough, you are ineligible to donate for the rest of your life.
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By: rick j

rick j — Sat, 05 Jul 2008 23:13:28 +0000

You might have a diseases that the military didn't tell you about.
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By: markredwing

markredwing — Sat, 05 Jul 2008 23:12:47 +0000

AID'S
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By: Lauren B

Lauren B — Sat, 05 Jul 2008 23:11:55 +0000

because of the people you may have come in contact with during that time
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