American Red Cross said I can never donate blood!

[skiwee1]

I never heard of this. I give blood and I lived in Italy for almost 2 years. It was over 16 years ago that I lived there so maybe that makes a difference? I have no problems giving blood and did so 6 months ago.

 

[minniepumpernickel]

I volunteer at The Red Cross blood drives. From what I understand is that they have changed this policy over the years. I was under the impression that if you had been overseas you will be elligible eventually to donate again after a certain amount of years. They hand out a booklet as you walk in. I'll have to ask next time I go in.

They also have rules concerning tattoos. if you've had one recently you won't be elligible for awhile also.

 

[tiggerlover]

Originally posted by skiwee1
I never heard of this. I give blood and I lived in Italy for almost 2 years. It was over 16 years ago that I lived there so maybe that makes a difference? I have no problems giving blood and did so 6 months ago.

I don't know, but I would assume it is because they don't know you lived in Italy. If you read what Laura posted it gives the dates and that is the same informatin they handed DH and I last night after learning we were in Italy. I lived in Italy from 1992-1999 and then again from 2002-2004 and I cannot donate. And because my son was born in Italy he can not donate either.

ToriLammy, I would assume your child would be in the same boat as mine, especially if you nursed.

 

[skiwee1]

Originally posted by minniepumpernickel
I volunteer at The Red Cross blood drives. From what I understand is that they have changed this policy over the years. I was under the impression that if you had been overseas you will be elligible eventually to donate again after a certain amount of years. They hand out a booklet as you walk in. I'll have to ask next time I go in.

They also have rules concerning tattoos. if you've had one recently you won't be elligible for awhile also.

Maybe they let me because I have been back for over 16 years. They certainly know where I lived because they ask.

 

[BibbidiBobbidiBOO]

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

From their site:
In some parts of the world, cattle can get an infectious, fatal brain disease called Mad Cow Disease. In these same locations, humans have started to get a new disease 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 no evidence that vCJD can be transmitted from donors to patients through transfusion. However, nobody knows for certain that this cannot happen, and animal studies indicate that it is theoretically possible. 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, since 1980, you :

Spent a total time of 3 months or more in any of these countries:
England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland, Isle of Man, Falkland Islands, Gibraltar, Channel Islands, or

Spent a total time of 6 months or more in any combination of these countries:
Albania, Andorra, Austria, Azores, Belarus, Belgium, Boznia/Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Channel Islands, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, England, Estonia, Falkland Islands, Faroe Island, Finland, France, Germany, Gibraltar, Greece, Greenland, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland (Republic of), Isle of Man, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Macedonia, Madeira Islands, Malta, Moldova, Monaco, Netherlands (Holland), Northern Ireland, Norway, Oman, Poland, Portugal, Romania, San Marino, Scotland, Slovak Republic (Slovakia), Slovenia, Spain, Svalbard, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, Ukraine, Vatican City, Wales, Yugoslavia (includes Kosovo, Montenegro and Serbia)

Received insulin derived from cattle (bovine) from any of the countries listed above

Received a blood transfusion in any of these countries:
England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland, Isle of Man, Falkland Islands, Gibraltar, Channel Islands

 

[JayBee]

Originally posted by skiwee1
Maybe they let me because I have been back for over 16 years. They certainly know where I lived because they ask.

Gosh...skiwee.....looks like you should not be giving blood.

 

[minniepumpernickel]

Originally posted by JayBee
Gosh...skiwee.....looks like you should not be giving blood.

The way that it works is that the nurse takes the person behind a private area and discusses it with them. So it is probably best for him/her to go in, in person and discuss it with the professionals.

 

[Laura]

Originally posted by skiwee1
Maybe they let me because I have been back for over 16 years. They certainly know where I lived because they ask.

That's interesting. According to the Red Cross, they shouldn't be taking your blood if you lived in Italy after 1980. If you'd lived in Italy in 1978, you could donate. When I donated blood, there was a form I had to fill out and there was a question on it about living in Europe. I got called to donate after the new guidelines came out and told them I couldn't donate because I'd gone over the limit of time spent in the UK. They didn't know that until I told them and agreed I couldn't donate.

It's not a question of having been back for X number of years. You also may have the pathogen that causes vCJD but it may not affect you. Someone with a suppressed immune system receiving blood transfusions might have a different problem. But they don't know much about this because it's such a new disease.

 

[caitycaity]

i'm in the same boat.

 

[snoopy]

I lived in Italy from 1986-1988 and never knew I couldn't donate blood for that reason. Interesting.

I have Lupus so I can't give blood anyway (compromised liver) - guess that is why I never knew this. Its nice to know though, thanks.

 

[BibbidiBobbidiBOO]

When I read and posted the above, I was thinking that the year may have been later at some point, and they have pushed it back to an earlier (1980) date. Not sure, but this may be the case.

 

[sha_lyn]

I haven't been able to donate for about 13 yrs now, ever since I learned that my Ex had been using IV drugs when we were married several yrs earlier. I've been tested for HIV and other diseases, but that doesn't matter. I am banned for life from donating. I also have a high demand blood type (0-). My dad has the same bloodtype, and whne I was little I remember the hospital calling a few times n the middle of the night for him to come donate. Luckily we lived just a couple of miles away.

 

[nuke]

I was exposed to TB when I worked in a hospital about 8 years ago. I had to take antibiotics even though I never tested positive but about a year later I went to donate blood and they didn't want mine. I haven't tried since then.

I guess it's better to be safe than sorry.

 

[m&m's mom]

I have also donated very regularly for years. Imagine my surprise in December when I went in to donate at my normal 8-10 weeks and they asked if I had been out of the country in the last year. We had just gotten back from a Caribbean cruise over Thanksgiving and the cruise going to Aruba made me invalid to donate for a YEAR!
I told them I stepped off the boat for about 30 mins and that was it. "Too bad, Aruba is a malaria risk". News to me.
Bummer!

 

[sandbar]

My son used to give blood but after a 2 week trip to Albania they told him it would be many years (I forgot the exact number) before he could donate again. That country is one of the poorest in the world, so I understood their concern. He was disappointed, too.

 

[my3kids]

This isn't a never, but after travelling through the Panama Canal on a cruise and stopping at an island off the Panamanian coast, I wasn't allowed to donate for, I think, three years. I know DCL is doing the canal cruises next year. Those bookd who are regualr donors could check on updated information from the RC.