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I live in the US now but was born in the UK and lived there until I was almost 30. Each time I tried to give blood here in CA, I was told I was ineligible beca
by callumprentice 9y ago
I live in the US now but was born in the UK and lived there until I was almost 30. Each time I tried to give blood here in CA, I was told I was ineligible because of the possibility I was a carrier for "Mad Cow Disease".
Anyone know if that's still the case or if there is a way to get tests and cleared for donations?
- deleted_soon 9y agoI believe you can't ever get cleared. The only way to confirm mad cow is to dissect the brain, so obviously it can't be tested for in a living person. As a result, anyone with over a certain amount of risk for mad cow can never be allowed to donate.
- waqf 9y agoYou can still donate (blood, at least) for research purposes, if you can find someone who's collecting it. Bonus, you get $50–100 instead of a cookie!
- gertef 9y agoIf I had leukemia, I'd love some possibly-mad-cow-tainted blood/marrow from an otherwise healthy donor.
- walshemj 9y ago:-) I am the UK kidney transplant list last year I turned down a potential kidney as there was a risk that the donor was potentialy HIV+ The surgeons second line was "don't worry we have really good drugs for HIV these days" In the end we agreed that given my age and I then had fairly good function left that letting some on else have it was for the best
- fangsout 9y agoI lived in Germany in the mid 80s (military brat) and I also have always been told that I can't donate because of that.
- jcurbo 9y agoIt's still a thing, see: http://www.redcrossblood.org/donating-blood/eligibility-requirements/eligibility-criteria-alphabetical-listing#arc5 http://www.redcrossblood.org/donating-blood/eligibility-requ... I lived in Germany for three years in the '00s so I'm ineligible.