This is good news for those who want to donate blood on American territory. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has lifted the ban on individuals who lived in France between 1980 and 2001. Announced discreetly last year, the rule is only beginning to be relayed by donation organizations.
“We have determined that our recommendations will simplify the donor screening process and increase the number of eligible individuals while maintaining the safety of blood and its components”the FDA said. in its recommendations to industry players.
Until now, individuals who had spent more than five years in France and Ireland between 1980 and 2001 (1996 for the United Kingdom) were considered to be at risk of having been exposed to Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease and its variant, the human form of mad cow disease.
Decision on the background of shortage of donations
The FDA revised its decision following a study by British health authorities that found the risk of transmitting the disease through transfusion was minimal. As the number of people with the Creutzfeldt-Jakob variant in France and Ireland ” is weaker” that in the United Kingdom, the ban was no longer necessary, noted the American agency.
The change comes amid a shortage of donations in the United States. In January 2022, the American Red Cross declared for the first time a situation of “ crisis », a consequence of the suspension of collection operations due to the pandemic. Levels, already low before the outbreak of the Covid, have remained low since. ” The new rule could potentially affect hundreds of thousands of individuals who were hitherto prevented from donating blood or platelets, including many members of the military community who have served overseas.”, notes the Red Cross on its site. The time to roll up our sleeves has come.
