<<Disclaimer: Verify this information before applying it to your situation.>>

Two corrections/updates:

1.  Since my initial summary was posted, someone pointed out that celiacs in Canada may give blood as long they are on a gluten-free diet and are not sick at time of donation.  Please check the link to Canadian Blood Serv
ices (http://www.bloodservices.ca).  The list of Common Causes for Permanent Deferral does not include CD.

2.  I finally had an opportunity to consult the Delphi discussion list, where I read a 2002 thread regarding a celiac's donation of stem cells to her brother.  Unfortunately, the question of whether marrow donation is gen
erally permissible was not broached, and the writer has not responded to my request for additional information.  In the absence of any other information, I suspect that this may have been a special case because a first-ge
neration relative is already at higher risk of developing CD.

3.  I had a follow-up appointment with my GI, Dr. Lester Salwen, on Monday.  He immediately said that I would be stricken from donating marrow as a celiac, and he agreed with my guess as to why the Delphi subscriber might
 have been permitted to donate.


Paul Otto
Brooklyn, NY

* Please remember some posters may be WHEAT-FREE, but not GLUTEN-FREE *