Blood donor eligibility

[Doctor Q]

Yesterday the FDA changed the U.S. eligibility rules, as many had hoped they would:

This policy eliminates time-based deferrals and screening questions specific to men who have sex with men (MSM) and women who have sex with MSM. Under the final guidance issued today, all prospective blood donors will answer a series of individual, risk-based questions to determine eligibility.​

The policy of determining eligibility by classes of people, rather than by individual risks, has ended.

From the Center for Biologics Evaluation & Research director:

"The implementation of these recommendations will represent a significant milestone for the agency and the LGBTQI+ community."​

 

[pshufd]

Spending time in certain countries during certain time periods could have exposed you to infectious diseases that might, just might, increase the risk of a problem with your blood that wouldn't show up during normal blood screening.

I'd think that each of those dangers (like Mad Cow Disease, which peaked around 1992 in the U.K.) would fall off the cautionary list after a while, but I think the overly risk-averse nature of the blood donor screening rules keep them around much longer than necessary.

I've never been asked about eating cheese. That one's a surprise to me!

I was in England for a few weeks around 1984 and that's one of the exclusion questions. I had chemo a few years ago and that may also be an issue.