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BBC reports ME blood donation ban on main TV news

S

Sasha

Fine, thank you
Messages
17,863
Location
UK
Just heard this reported - very surprising interruption to my breakfast - on the BBC1 morning news. The story didn't mention XMRV but said that people with ME would be banned from next month from donating blood and that the govt were saying this was to protect their health. However (they also said) the ME Assocation said that they thought the ban was because ME might be caused by a virus. No mention of XMRV or the possibility of the virus being a retrovirus.

There's another thread that started yesterday on where the story will appear in the UK media (which I haven't read properly) - I believe it says that some places are/will be mentioning XMRV specifically.
 
P

pictureofhealth

XMRV - L'Agent du Jour
Messages
534
Location
Europe
I did hear too that there will be some BBC news coverage hopefully to coincide with 1st anniversary of XMRV link to ME. Seems odd they didn't mention the XMRV yet - perhaps they want to wait for a positive UK-led study effort. However, I think they must have realised the seriousness of implications seeing all those experts at the US conference last month, including Stoye and Bishop from the Medical Research Council connected research institute in the UK (at least I think t is MRC connnected). Also, I think the UK's ME Association have been encouraging the BBC v strongly from behind the scenes to report on these developments - but they do operate in a v traditional and cautious way so progress happens slowly but surely.
 
clive powney

clive powney

Senior Member
Messages
206
Location
coventry
I also was surprised they never mentioned XMRV on the news - they did though on the website.
I can't understand how they can categorically say that people with ME giving blood will be detrimental to their health as a reason - where are the studies to prove this?
There are studies from many countries now that prove XMRV is in the blood supply but this is not a good enough reason even though the one above is (without any evidence)
 
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