People who spent time in the United Kingdom, Ireland and France between 1980 and 2001 have been ineligible to give blood over concerns of a variant related to "mad cow" disease. That donor restriction is now lifted.
Mad cow disease may be a fleeting memory for some, but concerns over Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease (vCJD) kept tens of thousands of people, often members of the military and their families,from giving blood.
Recently, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration updated its blood donor eligibility guidance on CJD. Dawn Johnson is with the Red Cross Cascades Region and said anyone who hasn’t tried because of the prior donation criteria should know they are now welcome to give.
“We always need blood donations,” she said. “The need is continuous and so being able to have more people donate is definitely a positive.”
Johnson said American Red Cross Cascades Region has so far sent 300 units of blood to Florida to aid in the disaster relief following Hurricane Ian.
More blood donors – especially type O donors – are urged to donate now to prevent disruptions to essential medical care this fall. Book a time to give by using the Red Cross Blood Donor App, visiting RedCrossBlood.org or by calling 1-800-RED CROSS/1-800-733-2767. As a thank-you, all who come to give between October 16 through 31, 2022, will receive a $10.00 e-Gift Card by email to a merchant of choice.
