The American Red Cross will today ask the US government to ban blood donations from people who spent more than six months in Europe between 1980 and 1996, as a precaution against mad cow disease.
Experts fear people who have eaten contaminated beef may pass the human form of the disease, CJD, to others via blood transfusions.
Last year, the US prohibited blood donations from people who had lived in Britain for at least six months since 1980, when BSE began affecting British cattle.
The Red Cross will also ask the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to tighten the existing ban, refusing blood from anyone who has lived in Britain for three months instead of six.
The Red Cross collects about 6.5 million units of blood annually, about half the US’ medical blood supply.
But expanding the ban has caused alarm in America’s Blood Centers, whose blood banks collect the other half of the US’ supply.
"We could lose 25 per cent of New York City’s blood supply," warned a spokesperson.
Blood donations in the US are decreasing by 1 per cent a year, while demand is increasing at the same rate.
Reuters & AFP