Héma-Québec to Remove Donor Deferrals Related to vCJD Risk

Héma-Québec, the blood provider for Québec, announced today that it will no longer defer donors with geographic risk factors linked to variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob (vCJD) disease following regulatory approval from Health Canada.

The expansion will take effect Dec. 4 and applies to anyone who has traveled, lived in or received a transfusion in France, Saudi Arabia, the United Kingdom and Western Europe and between 1980 and now.

“After many years with no new cases, experts believe that it is safe to lift the ban based on statistical estimates that show virtually no risk of new transmissions,” said Marc Germain, MD, PhD, FRCP, vice president of medical affairs and innovation at Héma-Québec. “This move, already made by the United States and Australia, will allow people currently excluded for potential vCJD exposure to give blood, as long as they meet all other eligibility criteria.”

Expanding Eligibility for Donors With Diabetes

Additionally, Héma-Québec will revise donor eligibility criteria to include individuals with diabetes, introducing the following modifications:

• Individuals with type 1 diabetes may qualify as donors if they do not possess risk factors compromising their safety or that of the recipient.
• For those with type 2 diabetes, eligibility will account for circumstances predisposing donors to increased risk of adverse events post-donation or presenting a risk of "silent bacterial infection" in the donor's blood.
• In cases of diabetes other than type 1 or 2, the medical director or their delegate will evaluate the donor to determine the safest approach for both the donor and recipient.

 This donor eligibility expansion will also take effect Dec. 4.