‘Mad Cow’ Spurs Call to Halt Blood Donors

As a precaution against the human form of “mad cow” disease, anyone who lived or traveled in France, Portugal or Ireland for a total of 10 years since 1980 should be banned from donating blood in the United States, government advisors said. People can catch the disease by eating infected beef, but there’s no proof they can then spread the illness through blood. Still, advisors to the Food and Drug Administration called the blood donor ban a prudent step as Europe’s crisis over the disease spreads. The FDA must now decide whether to accept the panel’s advice, something it isn’t required to do but usually does. Nor does anyone know how many Americans would be barred from donating blood if the ban is accepted, although some estimates suggest the move would affect fewer than 1% of blood donors.