Hi all,not sure if this is the right place to ask this one....
I am a blood doner in England and i have been told that when i emmigrate to Brisbane i cannot give blood in Australia is this true???
Thanks Des...

 

Hi Des,

Yes this is very true. I was also a blood donor in the UK, but am not allowed to donate here in Australia. The reason is that the Australian Blood Service will not accept blood from any people that have lived in countries where CJD (Mad Cow Disease) has been prevalent in the past. Because there is no reliable screening method for CJD if you have lived in the UK between 1980 & 1996 for a period of 6 or more months, you are permanently deferred from giving blood (please see this link for more details http://www.donateblood.com.au/admin/file/content1/c5/Residency in UK 1980-1996 Fact Sheet.pdf)

It's a bummer I know, as I regularly gave blood in the UK and would have liked to continue here in Brisbane, but the Aussies think we've all eaten too much meat that might have CJD in it so we're all twitching mad men/women lol, so it's tough luck on us!!!

Hope this helps.

Kind regards.
Richard

 

As Richard said, they will not allow you to give Blood, the Blood transfusion service is run by the Red Cross and it is a strict policy of their's. However you are allowed to be an organ donor as this is run by the goverment and the CJD rule does not apply.

 

Thanks for those replies...It is a shame..It would have been a laugh to think of aussies with pommy blood in them....only joking..
THANKS Des..

 

Yep, all us poms are mad cows, so not eligible!

love

Rudi
x

 

Ahhh Rudi, you have such a delicate and elegant way of making your point..
:laugh::laugh: