Why are good donors being deferred because they have visited the U.K.?
Regulations enforced by FDA require that as part of the suitability criteria, a donor be free from any disease transmissible by blood transfusion, in so far as can be determined by health history and medical examination. FDA periodically issues guidance providing recommendations to decrease the potential for transmission of infectious disease when new information or testing methodology becomes available. In August, 1999, FDA issued guidance for Industry entitled, “Revised Precautionary Measures to Reduce the Possible Risk of Transmission of Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease (CJD) and New Variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease (nvCJD) by Blood and Blood Products”. After reviewing the comments received, FDA further revised the guidance on November 23, 1999. A copy of the most recent revised guidance titled: Guidance for Industry Revised Preventive Measures to Reduce the Possible Risk of Transmission of CJD and Variant CJD by Blood and Blood Products is available. The guidance states that, “FDA believ
