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A MyMSTeam Member asked a question 💭
Pietermaritzburg, ZA

I have been an organ donar for about 30 odd years now - long before I knew about the ms. I want to start donating blood again and also add bone marrow to that.
Will having ms destroy my chances?
Hugs

September 4, 2017
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A MyMSTeam Member

I found this info online in a forum about MS and blood donations, someone posted this from the American Red Cross site - "Change in Blood Donation Policy at American Red Cross Until recently, people with multiple sclerosis (MS) were not permitted to donate blood at American Red Cross donation centers. The ban has now been lifted because no scientific evidence exists that MS is contagious or can be transmitted via blood. As of May, 2007, if other qualifications are met, blood from a person with MS may be donated to the American Red Cross. Qualifications for Donating Blood Some donor rules are specified by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for every blood bank in the country. Other rules are determined by the particular blood bank and differ between programs. Donor rules are intended to protect the health and safety of the donor as well as the recipient of the blood. According to the American Red Cross, general guidelines state that in order to give blood, a person must be healthy, at least 17 years of age or 16 in some states, weigh at least 110 pounds, and must not have donated blood within the last 8 weeks or have given a donation of double red cells within the last 16 weeks. 'Healthy' means feeling well and being able to perform normal activities. People with chronic conditions must be undergoing treatment and the conditions must be under control. Most medications taken for a chronic condition will not disqualify a potential donor. Procedures at Individual Donation Centers Medical professionals are available at each blood collection center. Details of each donors health are discussed in a confidential manner. Final determination of eligibility is made at that time. Each donor receives a brief examination before giving blood. This includes temperature, pulse and blood pressure readings and a blood count (hemoglobin, and hematocrit tests to determine if a person is anemic or may have an infection). Questions may be asked regarding travel. Autologous Blood Donations Making a donation to be used during your own surgery at a later date (called autologous blood donation) is a medical procedure for which eligibility rules are less strict than for regular volunteer donations. "

I will still call the Red Cross myself and make sure, the donor card I have now was from before I was diagnosed (I was diagnosed with MS in late July of this year).

September 4, 2017 (edited)
A MyMSTeam Member

Not sure about blood yet (have to call & ask the American red cross), but in the USA here I was told I cannot donate my plasma now that I have MS.

September 4, 2017
A MyMSTeam Member

You may be asking the wrong group, but I say go ahead, what nobody wants, leave to science.

September 4, 2017
A MyMSTeam Member

I have attempted to donate blood to the local blood bank which is not affiliated with The American Red Cross. They would not allow me to donate blood. My wife had organ donations listed at her death. None were taken, her liver was useless, but heart and lungs were good. Amazingly her eye cornea was not taken either. Nothing was taken. I thought her brain might have been taken for MS Study. It obviously was not taken for study.

September 4, 2017
A MyMSTeam Member

As far as l know you may donate organs and donate your brain for study in the Netherlands. Did you both than organs come first. I donate my brain, eyes and an other thing related to MS for study.

September 4, 2017

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