UK ME Blood Ban to commence from Nov 1st 2010

[bullybeef]

Hi guys,

The following as being assumed on the net for a few days, but has been confirmed via an email to Dr. Charles Shepherd of the ME Association.

Dear Dr Shepherd

ME/CFS and Blood Donation

Thank you for your further letter to Professor Dame Sally Davies, Chief Medical Officer (CMO) for the Department of Health, about myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS) and blood donation. I am responding on her behalf.

As of 1st November 2010, blood donors who report that they have had ME/CFS will be permanently excluded from giving blood in the UK. This change is being made on the grounds of donor safety, as ME/CFS is a relapsing condition. It brings practice for ME/CFS into line with other relapsing conditions or neurological conditions of unknown origin.

The change to donor selection criteria is being made following a recommendation by the UK Blood Services Standing Advisory Committee on the Care and Selection of Donors, and Joint Professional Advisory Committee (JPAC).

Yours sincerely

Clara Swinson
Director of Health Protection
Department of Health

Wellington House, 133-155 Waterloo Road, London SE1 8UG

See: http://meagenda.wordpress.com/2010/...licy-for-mecfs-patients-from-1-november-2010/

Thanks,

BB

 

[pictureofhealth]

Hi BB,

There is already a thread up & running on this under 'General ME/CFS News'.

I'm never sure where to post these kind of messages - under 'General' or 'XMRV'!

 

[bullybeef]

Same here, POH, but being a blood ban against ME, it seems reasonable that I should have looked in the other section.

Could the mods move or delete pls?