h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

One question tho, have the rules about being able to give blood if you've received a transfusion changed? I thought there was something on the news about it only last week that anyone who has had a transfusion since 1980 cannot give blood due to a remote risk of vCJD

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/3515358.stm

Good entry by the way, although just reading it made me feel a little faint

Yeah, I heard about that, but as it came in very recently it was too late to add it to the entry. I've also not given blood since it came in so I wouldn't want to add it until I've had personal experience it.

Guilt trip alert, I haven't given blood for nearly long enough, I'll have to ring up and make an appointment...

Talk about guilt trip - I got my ears pierced so I can't give for a whole year, and they *phoned me up* to ask why I hadn't been! I said I couldn't go again until the summer, and they said 'Early or late summer?' and made a note so they can remind me when I can go again!

Really? I do find the national blood service worryingly ineffeicent in all ways when it comes to the admin.

I had an operation three years ago and haven't got around to giving blood in the for the last two years, and nothing!

Well, I think every region is different, mine is obviously very enthusiastic!

I do hope it's not the case as due to aa few operations etc in the last few years I only got to give blood once. I had to have blood in about 1985 (i'll check the year with my mum) after something went wrong when I had my tonsils out.Will it be a permanent exclusion if they get it through or just for a number of years?

You'd probably have to have a word with them about it.

Last time i checked I wasn't allowed to give blood because of the new blood transfusion rules.

I went and was told that as I had had a transfusion in August 1980(i'd just been born)i would be unable to give blood. this annoyed me greatly at the time because the transfusion is one of the reasons i give blood in the first place.

I just hope they lift the restriction soon.

The literature said that January 1980 was the cut off date becuase that was the year CJD entered the food chain. Seems a touch arbituary.

I suppose it depends on the incubation period for vCJD. Once they've worked that out they may let you donate again. I hope.

Of course what's really silly is they've only suspended donation from those who recieved tranfusion as both a doner and a recipent contratced vcjd. They can't actually prove that it was passed through donated blood.

I you may have guessed from this diatribe i'm still a touch annoyed i can't give blood.

Me too. I had a transfusion after my son was born (nearly bled to death in my own front bedroom, how about that) and I was so disappointed to learn I could no longer give blood. The amount I was given was almost enough to cancel out my donations up to that point, so I still feel guilty that I hadn't given more. I do hope they change the rules again. I know it's worth being cautious but how can we have, on the one hand, a desperate shortage of donors, and on the other, thousands of potential donors excluded when the risk may not even exist?