Blood Donation criteria

[CarolW 10]

The committee responsible for the blood transfusion donor guidelines (SABTO) has published the latest recommendations....

 

https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/635174/SaBTO_donor_selection_criteria_report.pdf

 

"Men-who-have-sex-with-men" will now be able to donate after a 3 months deferral instead of the 12 months deferral in force at the moment.

 

Also people who have had sex with those from HIV-endemic regions will have a 3 month deferral as well....

 

Page 5 (of 159!!!) has the list of recommended deferral times.

 

These won't have been implemented yet, but will be in the near future !!

 

:)

[El Cid 220]

It does sound rather scary, but it all comes down to altruism. Someone wanting to help other would not knowingly infect others. If they wanted to infect others, there are no checks, its up to donors to be honest.

I assume any aids type test would be freely available.

[Andy1976 10]

It does sound rather scary, but it all comes down to altruism. Someone wanting to help other would not knowingly infect others. If they wanted to infect others, there are no checks, its up to donors to be honest.

I assume any aids type test would be freely available.

 

The blood is routinely checked for HIV and countless other things when you donate. They take a sample before the actual donation for that.

(I hit my 50th donation next year)

[CarolW 10]

Every single donation is tested for HIV, Hepatitis B, Hepatitis C, Hepatitis E and HTLV...

 

In addition to testing for the body's response to the virus, (antibodies) all donations are tested for the DNA of the virus as well - this picks up any infection a lot sooner

 

---------- Post added 03-08-2017 at 14:50 ----------

 

The blood is routinely checked for HIV and countless other things when you donate. They take a sample before the actual donation for that.

(I hit my 50th donation next year)

 

Well done, you!!!!!!

 

I give platelets, so I'm able to donate more frequently AND I get extra points on my card, because I give the equivalent of 3 whole blood donations - so I'm up to about 280........

[El Cid 220]

Every single donation is tested for HIV, Hepatitis B, Hepatitis C, Hepatitis E and HTLV...

 

 

So why still the 3 months, why have anyone barred from donating?

It would be informative for the donors, they might be unaware of their illness.

[dangerousedd 10]

afaik the tests don't work at less than 3 months after exposure for hiv

[mickey finn 12]

I thought antigen testing could detect infection in as little as two weeks of exposure.

[Puggie 10]

Hopefully over the next few years all this donating blood business will become unnecessary as scientists develop clean synthetic blood.

[stephen 7 10]

I gave blood donations and platelets for over 20 years came to live in australia 25yrs ago and am not allowed to donate blood due to the mad cow disease that england had in the 70s it really sucks when you want to donate?

[geared 317]

I thought antigen testing could detect infection in as little as two weeks of exposure.

 

Depends on what test they use though, there might be a test that can detect it much sooner, but it also might be 50 quid a shot.

 

They will use the most cost effective test, especially if it's well proven.

[Love2print 10]

So why still the 3 months, why have anyone barred from donating?

It would be informative for the donors, they might be unaware of their illness.

 

I can't donate because I have been given blood it is because of the increased risk of CJD.