IBTS to maintain Five Year Deferral of 'UK Donors'

From April 2001, the IBTS deferred donors who spent five years or more in the UK during the years 1980-1996 from giving blood in order to minimise the unquantifiable risk of vCJD transmission. This has resulted in a loss of 5,000 donors. The IBTS will not, as planned, extend this deferral time period to one year, at present, as the result would be a different and quantifiable risk - an immediate and acute shortage of blood to hospitals.

In the six months following the implementation of the five year deferral, 10,843 new donors were recruited by the IBTS. While this has been an extremely encouraging response from the public, additional new or lapsed donors would be required to come forward in order to allow any further extension of the deferral policy.

In an effort to encourage more donations, the IBTS has already opened a new centre in Ardee, changed the opening times of its clinic in D’Olier St. Dublin and organised a special Blood for Life Week to raise awareness of blood donation. New centres in Tuam and Stillorgan are also scheduled to open in early 2002. People who have never donated before are reminded that one blood donation can save the life of up to three patients in Irish hospitals.

While there is no new evidence that vCJD might be transmissible by blood and as yet no screening test developed, the IBTS will continue the following precautionary measures against any possible risk of vCJD transmission. These include:

- Removing the white cells in all cellular products (leucodepletition) - Maintaining the five year deferral of people who lived in the UK during the relevant years - Advocating the reduction of blood transfusions where possible - Sourcing plasma from a BSE free country
The IBTS will continue to monitor blood stock figures and keep our policy on vCJD under constant review.