So now ME/CFS Sufferers are banned from donating blood!

[Beaaware]

The list gets longer, at least 4 infectious diseases are now known to be transmitted via blood, a) The Human Form Of Mad Cow Disease (vCJD) most fatal, HIV - Aids, Hepatitis C, ME.
Disturbing to say the least.

How can they do this when they don't even know the causes of M.E.? It isn't contagious though is it? Unless there is some new research that they haven't shared with us yet.

Although as they don't know, I suppose they are trying to be safer than sorry which actually seems the right thing to do.

Any chance of a link of the notification?

I think a couple of states in the U.S. already do this, maybe Canada.

It's a pretty heavy example of the precautionary principle in action but I'd like to know more before commenting further.

We haven't been since at least 1995; at least I have been consistently refused since then

Which I always felt called question on it's "imaginary" status

CFS is not listed specifically on the website.

I'd be interested to see a reference for it being excluded.

Especially if it's a recent change as Beaware suggested.

The newspapers last week said the ban will come into force on 1st November. Its something to do wite the US finding of a retrovirus ( XMRV or some similar set of letters) in a higher (was it 67%) of me sufferers than controls. I think it is a just in case type thing but saying it is to protect sufferes health. I noticed because I have PVF/CFS - which is included in the ban.

Thanks found the story and the press release.

Explanation given was to protect people with CFS from worsening of symptoms after donation.

Hard not to think it doesn't have something to do with concerns over XMRV, despite appendix to press release.

Precautionary principle at work, we'll have to wait and see if it turns out to be the right call.

Do you not think it odd that I have had my blood refused for over 15 years as a result of CFS?

I have had ME/ CFS for 14 yrs and up till now never been turned away from giving blood.

@KatyMac

Not really.

I am in no way stating equivalence but you can have a cold and be turned away from a blood donation.

In the past, on reading of the press release, I think it was considered that CFS was a relapsing/remitting condition.

So if you had symptoms when you tried to give blood, guidance would be not to.

If you didn't, go ahead.