U.S. soldiers need blood donors: Asking for Type O to help save lives of battlefield victims

WorldNetDaily.com ^ | Thursday, August 7, 2003

[JohnHuang2]

Thursday, August 7, 2003

Quote of the Day by Arthur Wildfire! March

[GingisK]

I'm type O. How does one locate a "military blood collection facility"?

[boxerblues]

the Red Cross supplies the military

[NewYorker]

Thanks - I was wondering about that.

[mbynack]

You want to hear something ironic? I'm type O and would be willing to donate, but my military service in Europe during the 80's disqualifies me.

[.cnI redruM]

I'm O-Negative and work at Ft. Hood. If anyone knows when Robertson Army Hospital will hold it's next drive, give me a ping.

Thanks,

redruM

[fr_freak]

You want to hear something ironic? I'm type O and would be willing to donate, but my military service in Europe during the 80's disqualifies me.

What? Why does that disqualify you?

[JohnHuang2]

Why is that?

[boxerblues]

Nope your safe 3 year limitation

http://www.redcross.org/services/biomed/blood/learn/eligibl.html

[ChuckHam]

I'm in the same boat. They won't let us donate because they say there's the posibility we could be Mad Cow carriers.

[LandOfTheFreeHomeOfTheBrave]

Not allowed to donate blood because of possible exposure to mad cow disease.

[NYFriend]

Mad Cow I'd bet. I'm close to the lifetime limit on European travel. The Red Cross petitioned federal regulators to exclude people who have spent cumulative periods of time in various parts of Europe. I spoke to a rep. from another blood company who suggested that that Red Cross was just trying to restrict the blood supply to drive per unit prices up.

[JohnHuang2]

I see. Thanks.

[ChuckHam]

You needed to read further. If you spent long periods of time in a country that had Mad Cow, then you aren't eligible. I believe the time period is 6 months or more.

[Obi-Wandreas]

The "official" story is that the Red Cross is worried about "mad cow" and other crud, so anyone who has spent more than 6 months cumulative in Europe since 1980 is disqualified.
The real reason, as far as I've heard, is that they are run by a bunch of incompetents and wanted to cover up their huge deficits with an artificial blood shortage. Either way, I can't donate either.
Does anyone know anywhere I can go to donate without having to deal with the Red Cross? I donated every time I could after I turned 17 (the legal age in NY State), but had to stop once this BS was put in place

[boxerblues]

Has madcow been found in all of Europe?

[NYFriend]

In NYC, the New York Blood Center is an alternative.

[mbynack]

Has madcow been found in all of Europe?

I don't think so, but meat from England was shipped all over Europe.

I've never developed any symptoms aside from being somewhat MOOOOOODY.

[Eagle Eye]

Nope, NOT safe. Your info was regarding immigration. Some of us are PDQ'ed. From the same link:

In-Depth Discussion of Variant Creutzfeld-Jacob Disease and Blood Donation

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 no evidence that vCJD can be transmitted from donors to patients through transfusion. However, nobody knows for certain that this cannot happen, and animal studies indicate that it is theoretically possible. 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, since 1980, you : Spent a total time of 3 months or more in any of these countries: England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland, Isle of Man, Falkland Islands, Gibraltar, Channel Islands, or Spent a total time of 6 months or more in any combination of these countries: Albania, Andorra, Austria, Azores, Belarus, Belgium, Boznia/Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Channel Islands, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, England, Estonia, Falkland Islands, Faroe Island, Finland, France, Germany, Gibraltar, Greece, Greenland, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland (Republic of), Isle of Man, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Macedonia, Madeira Islands, Malta, Moldova, Monaco, Netherlands (Holland), Northern Ireland, Norway, Oman, Poland, Portugal, Romania, San Marino, Scotland, Slovak Republic (Slovakia), Slovenia, Spain, Svalbard, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, Ukraine, Vatican City, Wales, Yugoslavia (includes Kosovo, Montenegro and Serbia)

Received insulin derived from cattle (bovine) from any of the countries listed above

Received a blood transfusion in any of these countries: England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland, Isle of Man, Falkland Islands, Gibraltar, Channel Islands

[Eagle Eye]

See my #19>

I spent nearly 6 years in Europe and looks like I'm now PDQ from donating again and I had donated several gallons prior to that.