Gonzo
The Living Force
This is an interesting piece of news. Canada had become the first country to ban those who suffer from chronic fatigue to donate blood. As a precautionary measure to protect the blood supply against the retrovirus Xenotropic murine leukemia virus-related virus (XMRV), a relative of HIV, the Canadian Blood Services (formerly the Canadian Red Cross Society) has decided this approach is prudent, even though they know little about the virus and how it spreads. After being responsible for contaminating to blood supply with HIV back in the late 80s, the Canadian Blood Services is taking a cautious approach.
Story available on CBC News website at:
No blood from chronic fatigue donors: agency
_http://www.cbc.ca/health/story/2010/04/07/blood-donations-chronic-fatigue-virus.html
Other versions of story collected by Google News at:
_http://news.google.ca/news/more?pz=1&cf=all&ncl=dlj5AZ8ivs72tyM7UEfkECC8XBDoM&topic=m
Also, the Canadian Blood Services has been so cautious with blood donations that they prevented gay men and men who have sex with men (MSM) from donating blood. After several stories in the media about this issue, they decided to reexamine the issue, but it remains unchanged (link to Canadian Blood Services policy on eligibility and Indefinite Deferrals - _http://www.bloodservices.ca/centreapps/internet/uw_v502_mainengine.nsf/page/Indefinite%20Deferral?OpenDocument). More on this issue at:
Students want screening of blood donors changed
_http://www.cbc.ca/health/story/2008/01/02/blood-discrimmination.html
Blood agency studies lifting ban on gay donors
_http://www.cbc.ca/health/story/2008/03/07/blood-gay.html#ixzz0kTFAl1wV
Wikipedia entry on Xenotropic murine leukemia virus-related virus (XMRV)
_http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Xenotropic_murine_leukemia_virus-related_virus
FYI,
Gonzo
Story available on CBC News website at:
No blood from chronic fatigue donors: agency
_http://www.cbc.ca/health/story/2010/04/07/blood-donations-chronic-fatigue-virus.html
Other versions of story collected by Google News at:
_http://news.google.ca/news/more?pz=1&cf=all&ncl=dlj5AZ8ivs72tyM7UEfkECC8XBDoM&topic=m
Also, the Canadian Blood Services has been so cautious with blood donations that they prevented gay men and men who have sex with men (MSM) from donating blood. After several stories in the media about this issue, they decided to reexamine the issue, but it remains unchanged (link to Canadian Blood Services policy on eligibility and Indefinite Deferrals - _http://www.bloodservices.ca/centreapps/internet/uw_v502_mainengine.nsf/page/Indefinite%20Deferral?OpenDocument). More on this issue at:
Students want screening of blood donors changed
_http://www.cbc.ca/health/story/2008/01/02/blood-discrimmination.html
Blood agency studies lifting ban on gay donors
_http://www.cbc.ca/health/story/2008/03/07/blood-gay.html#ixzz0kTFAl1wV
Wikipedia entry on Xenotropic murine leukemia virus-related virus (XMRV)
_http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Xenotropic_murine_leukemia_virus-related_virus
FYI,
Gonzo
