# Organ and Blood donation



## tomben (Dec 31, 2008)

Last time i tried to donate blood in America I was turned away because i was a British expat and looked like a mad cow 

Does anyone know British expats can be organ donors in America?


----------



## Fatbrit (May 8, 2008)

tomben said:


> Last time i tried to donate blood in America I was turned away because i was a British expat and looked like a mad cow
> 
> Does anyone know British expats can be organ donors in America?


Doubt it!

Had the same experience as you with the blood donation. Seems we must live with our tainted blood.


----------



## tomben (Dec 31, 2008)

Rob,



Your citizenship does not impact your ability to donate organs for transplantation.


If you live in Arizona, you can sign up today at DNAZ : Flash Test



If you live elsewhere in the U.S., please go to Donate Life America to find out how to register in your state.



Thank you for your interest in saving lives!



Sara Pace Jones

Director, Donor Program Development

Donor Network of Arizona

[email protected]

DNAZ : Flash Test

(602) 222-2264


----------



## Fatbrit (May 8, 2008)

tomben said:


> Rob,
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Reading their website, get the feeling they probably say yes to everyone then get picky when it comes to harvesting time.


----------



## tomben (Dec 31, 2008)

Fatbrit said:


> Reading their website, get the feeling they probably say yes to everyone then get picky when it comes to harvesting time.


Yeah probably.


----------



## frenchie (Dec 12, 2008)

This is per the Red Cross website:

In some parts of the world, cattle can get an infectious, fatal brain disease called Mad Cow Disease. In these same locations, humans have started to get a new disease called variant Creutzfeld-Jacob Disease (vCJD) which is also a fatal brain disease. Scientists believe that vCJD is Mad Cow Disease that has somehow transferred to humans, possibly through the food chain.

There is now evidence from a small number of case reports involving patients and laboratory animal studies that vCJD can be transmitted through transfusion. There is no test for vCJD in humans that could be used to screen blood donors and to protect the blood supply. This means that blood programs must take special precautions to keep vCJD out of the blood supply by avoiding collections from those who have been where this disease is found.

At this time, the American Red Cross donor eligibility rules related to vCJD are as follows:

You are not eligible to donate if:

From January 1, 1980, through December 31, 1996, you spent (visited or lived) a cumulative time of 3 months or more, in the United Kingdom (UK), or
From January 1, 1980, to present, you had a blood transfusion in any country(ies) in the (UK). The UK includes any of the countries listed below.

 * Channel Islands
* England
* Falkland Islands
* Gibraltar
* Isle of Man
* Northern Ireland
* Scotland
* Wales

You were a member of the of the U.S. military, a civilian military employee, or a dependent of a member of the U.S. military who spent a total time of 6 months on or associated with a military base in any of the following areas during the specified time frames

* From 1980 through 1990 - Belgium, the Netherlands (Holland), or Germany
* From 1980 through 1996 - Spain, Portugal, Turkey, Italy or Greece.

You spent (visited or lived) a cumulative time of 5 years or more from January 1, 1980, to present, in any combination of country(ies) in Europe, including

* in the UK from 1980 through 1996 as listed above
* on or associated with military bases as described above, and
* in other countries in Europe as listed below:
o Albania
o Austria
o Belgium
o Bosnia/Herzegovina
o Bulgaria
o Croatia
o Czech Republic
o Denmark
o Finland
o France
o Germany
o Greece
o Hungary
o Ireland (Republic of)
o Italy
o Kosovo (Federal Republic of Yugoslavia)
o Liechtenstein
o Luxembourg
o Macedonia
o Montenegro (Federal Republic of Yugoslavia)
o Netherlands (Holland)
o Norway
o Poland
o Portugal
o Romania
o Serbia (Federal Republic of Yugoslavia)
o Slovak Republic (Slovakia)
o Slovenia
o Spain
o Sweden
o Switzerland
o Turkey
o Yugoslavia (Federal Republic includes Kosovo, Montenegro, and Serbia)

We are basically banned to give blood in the US. I have tried before and was refused once I mentioned that this obscure rule applied to me. It sucks, I wasn't able to give blood in France and now I am banned in the US. 

All donating centers follow the red cross rules regarding blood donation from what I have been told.


----------

