Jump to content

Thinking about donating blood.


Squirt

Recommended Posts

  • Replies 56
  • Created
  • Last Reply

Top Posters In This Topic

Good on ya for donating, keep a count of how many times you donate, then when you're really really old you can think about the dozens and dozens of lives you save.

Unfortunately I can't give blood any more because I lived in the UK around the Mad Cow Disease time. I really miss it, it always felt nice knowing I was helping strangers.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I sort of think of it as, There are people out there that are needing this blood, and if it wasn't for people like us that are willing to donate blood, then those people that need it would no longer be here.

I think that far out ways the fact that I don't like needles, so just have to toughen up and bare with it for the short amount of time it takes to have blood taken.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

As far as i know they don't sell overseas,

The drinks and biscuits are much better than they used to be, everyone now has access to the choccy ones, unlike in the days when i first started giving.

Apparently they do not like you beating the 4 minute donation. :sage:

I gave last night and it was 4;45 minutes.

I have been giving for over 20 years as and when i could.

I worry that I could be mistaken for a naughty person with all the holes in my elbow :gigl:

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Actually I believe some components of blood are sold to Australia, and then we pay a huge price to buy it back as intravenous gamma globulin.

Yes and no. Some New Zealand plasma is sent to the company CSL in Australia, where they turn it into lots of different blood products and send it back to New Zealand. I don't think anything is sold as such, but there would be manufacturing/transport/etc costs associated with the process. I think one of the reasons that intravenous gamma globulin is so expensive is due to the amount of work that goes into making it.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Is there ever any likelihood that those of us who were in UK during mad cow disease (cue Anthony Law......................) will be allowed to give blood?

I would like to do something useful like donating some but not allowed.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

My recollection is somewhat faint, and probably impaired, but I was told by a prescriber that it used to cost the DHB nothing to get IVIG from the blood service, but then after processing moved to Oz, the DHB had to pay $10 - 30k for a course.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Is there ever any likelihood that those of us who were in UK during mad cow disease (cue Anthony Law......................) will be allowed to give blood?

I would like to do something useful like donating some but not allowed.

Probably not any time soon. There isn't any tests that they can do to check for mad cow disease in the blood. The chances of anybody actually having it are really low, but I think in the past there has been one or two cases of people coming down with mad cow disease from a blood transfusion (overseas) so it is possible. Also, the New Zealand Blood Service tends to be really paranoid about these sorts of things (another example would be people with chronic fatigue syndrome)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

My recollection is somewhat faint, and probably impaired, but I was told by a prescriber that it used to cost the DHB nothing to get IVIG from the blood service, but then after processing moved to Oz, the DHB had to pay $10 - 30k for a course.

Probably before the blood service was a national organization. The DHBs used to run the blood service bit of the hospital too (so no charge?), but since 2000, the blood service has become a separate government organization from the DHBs, so they charge the DHBs for the products used. You have to keep in mind though, the blood service isn't allowed to make a profit (or a loss) from all this. So it's a very fine line that they walk.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Is there ever any likelihood that those of us who were in UK during mad cow disease

I'm in the same boat. I vaguely remember one of the victims had been a vegetarian for about 20 yrs so I expect we won'y be able to give for at least another 5 yrs. Then if they do decide to allow us, it may only be for certain blood components.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

:bounce: any doctors here :P ? Either wise I'll see how I feel tomorrow (I don't feel sick, but I don't want someone who is sick getting more sick (if that makes sense?)) and ask the donor people. But would they test for a cold?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

Loading...

×
×
  • Create New...