[a fool in paradise]

How many people in Canada and the US contracted AIDS through infected blood?

There are plenty of events in your life or lifestyle habits that can get you excluded from giving blood.

It even includes “been outside the US or Canada in the past 3 years”.

AND: “From 1980 through 1996, Did you spend time that adds up to three (3) months or more in the United Kingdom? (Review list of countries in the UK)”

http://www.fda.gov/downloads/BiologicsBloodVaccines/BloodBloodProducts/ApprovedProducts/LicensedProductsBLAs/BloodDonorScreening/UCM164190.pdf

[Rummyfan]

The concern there is mad cow disease , or Jacob-Creuzfeld Syndrome, I believe.

[Verginius Rufus]

Actually you can give blood even if you have been outside the US and Canada in the past 3 years--you just have to tell them which countries and they check to see if those are on the list that prevents you from giving blood. I think all the European countries are OK, except the UK (if you have been there 3 months or more), as long as the total time isn't more than 5 years.

For a while the rule was anyone who had spent 6 months or more in Europe since Jan. 1, 1980, was barred from giving blood, which excluded a lot of military people and their families who would otherwise be eligible, but they finally changed that to 5 years.

[proud American in Canada]

There are plenty of events in your life or lifestyle habits that can get you excluded from giving blood.

I couldn't donate blood because I spent a semester in France in 1984. I felt bad because I'm the universal blood type, but it's better than possibly giving someone the human equivalent of mad cow disease.