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Ban on ME sufferers giving blood-anyone know any more?

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(@thisismyname)
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Hi, I've seen that the UK has introduced a ban on ME sufferers giving blood; can anyone point me to the relevant website that details their reasons for this (I've heard that they're a little disingenuous to say the least :))
Thanks in advance

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Andre7
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(@andre7)
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Telegraph:
ME sufferers will be banned from donating blood under new guidelines to protect their health, the NHS has confirmed.

Mail:
ME patients banned from donating blood in UK following virus link fears.

A

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(@jabba-the-hut)
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May be better to ask the Blood Transfusion Service themselves - they also have a page about who cannot give blood - [DLMURL] https://secure.blood.co.uk/c11_cant.asp [/DLMURL]

ME doesn't seem to get a mention - but contact them direct, then it should save confusion.

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Venetian
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(@venetian)
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I only know that when the news first came out, the reason given was not that is was being done to protect the health of ME sufferers, but because there's evidence that ME is linked to viral infection. The idea was clearly to avoid the possibility of spreading ME in that way.

V

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CarolineN
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(@carolinen)
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I for one think this is a good idea - firstly to protect the recipient form possibly receiving blood that may possibly compromise their already precarious state (needing a blood transfusion) and secondly to protect the donor from losing blood that in their debilitated state could make things worse for them.

Having had ME for some 14 years, I would not even offer it, even though I am much improved. The thought of being more tired through lower blood levels is not one I'd care to take on.

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myarka
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(@myarka)
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The press release about it can be found here:

[DLMURL] https://safe.blood.co.uk/PressRelease/MS033_10_ME_CFS_sufferers%20.pdf [/DLMURL]

and it looks like it's coming into force of the 1st Novemeber.

Myarka.

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Venetian
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(@venetian)
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Myarka's link is interesting. Officially it starts out by saying that this measure is to protect donors from relapses, in effect. That seems wise to me and I'd tend to agree.

But in going on to suggest there may be a viral aspect to ME (and I agree there may well be), there's surely an unspoken logic at work here also not to pass it on? I would agree with both sides: the protection of donors and of recipients.

I've had sometimes-recurring ME for slightly over twenty years. I wouldn't donate blood as I wouldn't want to risk people may catch this from me. Almost always these days I'm OK, but ME is something one can often sense is "just below the surface of manifesting", so it's good to keep a robust constitution if possible.

I also welcome the move as it gives credence to the reality of ME: I first developed it when at least 50% of medics scoffed at its reality - and even two years ago or less, to my astonishment at him, a local GP told me, "I have to tell you, ME doesn't exist. Research has proved it."

V

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Topic starter
(@thisismyname)
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Hello, thanks for the replies and the links.

I too think there is a viral trigger in some, if not all, ME cases (my son has it) and I welcome this news as it will hopefully make people question this insistence that it is psychological and can be "cured" with CBT.

Thanks again.

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CarolineN
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(@carolinen)
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I welcome this news as it will hopefully make people question this insistence that it is psychological and can be "cured" with CBT.

Doesn't that just make one FUME!! :mad::mad::mad: Makes me wish they had the problem and they'd soon change their mind ... grrrrr ... I think it was last year that NICE finally admitted that ME could be as bad as MS - but some practitioners never heard that.

So if they are precluding people with ME from donating blood are they finally admitting it is not psycological? I'm not holding my breath 😮

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Posts: 56
Topic starter
(@thisismyname)
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Joined: 15 years ago

I know, it makes you mad doesn't it.
What does make me smile (not) is the reason they give: "to protect the health of the person donating."
Of course.

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