JPAC Joint United Kingdom (UK) Blood Transfusion and Tissue Transplantation Services Professional Advisory Committee

Central Nervous System Disease

Obligatory

Must not donate if:
a) Dementia.

b) History of CNS disease of unknown or suspected infective origin (e.g. multiple sclerosis (MS), optic neuritis, clinically isolated syndrome, transverse myelitis, Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD)).

c) Neurodegenerative conditions of unknown aetiology (e.g. Parkinson's disease).

Discretionary

a) Individuals who have had Bell's palsy more than four weeks ago and have discontinued any treatment for the condition for at least seven days, even if they have residual paralysis, accept.

b) If a definite diagnosis of transient global amnesia has been made, accept.

c) If the cause of the disease is not established, refer to designated medical officer

See if Relevant

Neurosurgery
Prion Associated Diseases
Rabies

Additional Information

Often the exact cause of a degenerative brain condition only becomes known after death. For this reason, when there is any doubt as to the underlying cause of a brain condition, it is considered safest not to accept a donation. It is thought that degenerative brain disease in the form of vCJD has been transmitted by blood transfusion.

Transient global amnesia is a temporary and isolated disorder of memory. Affected individuals are usually over 50 years of age and there is an association with migraine. There is no association with cerebrovascular disease.

Reason for Change
To clarify that CNS disease of unknown origin, and clinically isolated syndrome, are reasons for obligatory deferral and to permit individual risk assessment where appropriate.

Update Information

This is a requirement of the EU Tissue & Cells Directive.

This entry was last updated in
TDSG-CB Edition 203, Release 29