Are you willing to donate blood?

[TheBear]

[size=7]Transfusion board seeks blood donors[/size]

From www.ireland.com:

• More than 13,000 blood donations are needed to maintain stocks over Christmas, the Irish Blood Transfusion Service (IBTS) said today.
  
  The service has begun a campaign to replace blood levels that are running low. Some 3,000 blood donations are needed every week in the State.
  
  "Our stocks are down at four-and-a-half days, just a little bit too low for this time of the year," said Paddy Bowler, director of operations of the IBTS.

Also at BreakingNews.ie. For more information on where and when you can donate, visit the Irish Blood Transfusion Service.

Of course, and as always, this shortage does raise questions about the restrictions placed on who can donate. Is it time for the IBTS to reevaluate its position?

[White Horse]

Of course, and as always, this shortage does raise questions about the restrictions placed on who can donate. Is it time for the IBTS to reevaluate its position?

Are people from Northern Ireland and homosexuals still barred from donating blood?

I remember reading all the restrictions a couple of years ago and wondering who would be left.

[eurocrat]

I am a doner. Signed a petion in college recently advocating a change in the ITBS policy regarding homosexuals and the risk they may pose. The Chief of the ITBS has already indictated his support for a change. There are many many other resctictions aside from sexual activities that prevent people from giving blood, such as having tattoos. There is now a body of evidence to suggest that homosexuals are not as high a risk as other groups and this has been recognised by the ITBS.

I personally cannot help out in the pre-chirstmas campaign as I am not allowed donate again until Christmas.

For those of you in Dublin the ITBS clinic is located at the top of D'Olier str accross form O'Connell bridge. The staff in there are very freindly and professional. Afterwards you can available of a range of biscuits, Tatyo, tea, coffee, soft drinks and of course.. a bottle of Guiness. :wink:

The whole procedure will take around 30-45 minutes and the opening times and very people-freindly.

[TheBear]

Of course, and as always, this shortage does raise questions about the restrictions placed on who can donate. Is it time for the IBTS to reevaluate its position?

Are people from Northern Ireland and homosexuals still barred from donating blood?

I remember reading all the restrictions a couple of years ago and wondering who would be left.

Those restrictions are still in place. This is the full list.

[TheBear]

There are many many other resctictions aside from sexual activities that prevent people from giving blood, such as having tattoos.

Just to clarify, it's not actually having tattoos, but having recently been tattooed. I think the exclusion period is six months, the same as having recently been pierced, or had acupuncture.

[eurocrat]

Just to clarify, it's not actually having tattoos, but having recently been tattooed. I think the exclusion period is six months, the same as having recently been pierced, or had acupuncture.

Sure. Also, they don't like pregancy. All in all its pretty hard for a heavily tattoed, pregant, british lesbain to give blood in this country.

Also, just for the sake of completness, the rescrtions are on people who have engaged in homosexaul activity, rather than simply people who are homosexual. Therefore gay virgins can donate, while a married man who got curious at Electric Picnic this year cannot.

[Twin Towers]

Never give blood if:

* You have spent 1 year or more, in total, in the UK in the years 1980 to 1996

Rules many out and the population of Norn Iron over 10.

[eurocrat]

Never give blood if:

* You have spent 1 year or more, in total, in the UK in the years 1980 to 1996

Rules many out and the population of Norn Iron over 10.

So? Whats your point? Surely people in the North would donate to the Northern Ireland Blood Transfusion Service anyhow?

[TheBear]

... while a married man who got curious at Electric Picnic this year cannot.

Is there something you want to tell us...?

There are quite a lot of restrictions, and though I can see the sense in many of them, they do serve to limit the pool from which they can. For instance, this is the first time in my life that I actually can donate blood, in spite of being a reasonably healthy female who has never spent more than a few weeks in the UK. (That sounds like a very weird personal ad. Not intentional, I assure you...)

[White Horse]

Never give blood if:

* You have spent 1 year or more, in total, in the UK in the years 1980 to 1996

Rules many out and the population of Norn Iron over 10.

So? Whats your point? Surely people in the North would donate to the Northern Ireland Blood Transfusion Service anyhow?

What? Don't you realise that it is run by MI5 and is part of the securocrat occupation of Ireland.

Not an inch, not a drop!