New Zealand to End Geography-Based Deferrals for vCJD Risk

Individuals who lived in France, Ireland and the United Kingdom for six months or more between 1980 and 1996 will soon be eligible to donate blood and plasma in New Zealand, the New Zealand Blood Service (NZBS) announced this month.  

In August, NZBS made a submission to Medsafe recommending that the deferral, introduced in response to concerns about human variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease (vCJD), be removed. Medsafe approved the recommendation this month, allowing NZBS to begin updating its systems and processes to support this change.

Individuals who will be eligible when the new criteria take effect may register their interest online.