ME/CFS Sufferers

ME/CFS sufferers permanently deferred from giving blood

From 1 November 2010, people with Myalgic Encephalitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME) will be permanently deferred from giving blood in the UK.

The change to donor selection guidelines, which apply across all four UK Blood Services, is as a result of recommendations by the UK Blood Services Standing Advisory Committee on the Care and Selection of Donors, and Joint Professional Advisory Committee (JPAC)

In the past, donors with a history of ME/CFS could give blood, provided they had completely recovered and were feeling well.

However, as ME/CFS is a condition where people can relapse and become ill again, donor selection guidelines are being changed as a precaution to protect the donor’s safety by ensuring the condition is not made worse by donating blood.

This change brings donor selection guidelines for ME/CFS into line with other relapsing conditions or neurological conditions of unknown or uncertain origin, such as Multiple Sclerosis (MS) and Parkinson’s disease.

For further information, please contact the Welsh Blood Service on
0800 25 22 66