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

Dear listmates, especially Canadian listmates,

Here's an update to my questioning the Canadian Blood Service about our no
longer being welcome as blood donors. I first wrote Lynda Cranston, the CEO
of Canadian Blood Services, in the middle of last December re Canadian
celiacs being deleted from being acceptable blood donors. I explained to
her that I didn't understand the basis for the ruling, and was concerned
because it meant that I also couldn't be a bone marrow donor and was
totally unsure of my status as an organ donor. I subsequently found out
that there was no screening going on in the Vancouver donor clinics to find
out if someone was celiac, thereby meaning that celiacs were probably still
donating blood if they hadn't read or heard about the new guideline
deleting us a blood donors.

Ms. Cranston referred my question to Dr. Graham Sher, who is the Vice
President of clinical at CBS.

Here is the reply I received from him today:

From: [log in to unmask]
Date: Mon, 22 Feb 1999 15:23:07 -0500

Dear Ms Aqua

Thank you for your requests regarding celiacs being blood donors.  As you
correctly point out, currently CBS does not accept these individuals as
donors.  The reasons for this deferral unfortunately are not very clear.
As you know, CBS took over operation of the blood system in Sep. 98, and I
am unable to find on record any reason that gave rise to this deferral in
the first place. I have also had my staff research this issue with other
blood centres in the USA to determine if they have this deferral criteria -
my hunch is they do not.  Having said that, the issue is that once we have
a deferral criteria on our books, it is very difficult to have our
regulator (Health Canada) remove it.  If indeed there is no medical reason
for this deferral (and there is currently none that I am aware of) I will
commit to you and your organization that CBS will work with our regulator
to begin the process of having this criteria removed - but this will take
some months

I will keep you posted in this regards, and thank you for raising this
issue

Sincerely

Dr Graham Sher"

I'm grateful that I now have received a reply that confirms my suspicion
that perhaps we have been unfairly targetted. Obviously, we now have to
find out how to lobby Health Canada to reinstate our ability to donate
blood and how to do it so the wheels turn quickly.

I will keep you all posted.

Helen in Vancouver, BC