I can see there was a question about this 4 years ago, but I can’t open it…
Anyway, have any of you been accepted to give blood in France?
I’m not allowed to because of the drugs I take, but OH always used to. However it seems he is prohibited due to having lived in UK during the mad cow disease years despite the fact he’s a vegetarian… is this universal?
No giving blood in France if you spent (cumulatively) a year or more in the UK between 1980 and 1996.
Didn’t know that V’, used to donate in UK, 'til I had jaundice, then it was refused. 
There is a total denial by the French authorities that mad cow disease was present in France, although it was.
They are stopping Brits from giving blood but they would not have any blood at all if they acknowledged that the disease was present in french cattle.
The feared deaths in UK from spongiform encephalopathy have not occurred yet Brits cannot give blood in France.
I seem to remember from when this was previously discussed that the health authorities will take our organs if needed.
I used to give blood here regularly in the early 80’s, until I was told I may have mad cow disease. No symptom’s so far , over 30 years later. What made me laugh was the label the French put on their beef during the mad cow period… VF = Viande Francaise… but VF also can mean Vache Folle
No idea whether or not this is universal… but it certainly is the situation in France.
I have had malaria which didn’t bother anyone when I gave blood in GB but I didn’t give often as you can’t while pregnant or within a year of childbirth & I have 5 children. Here even some of the blood recruiters don’t realise about the variant CJD mad cow scare and being in the UK. The collectors do though.
There was such a scandal regarding contaminated blood/ products and growth hormone from cadavers causing illness that they are super strict now.
I should have said national…as meant universally applied within France.
What I put in my first answer is the law at present in France. Similar rules apply in Germany and no doubt in other countries.
I’ve just looked it up…and places like Australia & US apply a similar restriction to European blood, not just British blood.
Strange that in 20+ years we’ve not found a better way to select or treat blood products given that there is a real need for blood. After all, mad cow disease was not just in the UK, farmers all over Europe were quietly disposing of cows.