End of 22-year 'mad cow' ban means more people can donate blood in Australia from today

After more than two decades, people who were in the United Kingdom during the 'mad cow disease' outbreak can donate blood in Australia from today. Key points: The ban was lifted by the Therapeutic Drugs Administration in April Red Cross Lifeblood has since been working with its stakeholders on the implementation of that decision As of Monday, formerly ineligible people are able to donate The outbreak of Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy — commonly known as mad cow disease — in the UK in the 1980s and 1990s prompted Australia to ban blood donations from potentially affected people in December 2000. In the wake of that ruling from the TGA, Red Cross Lifeblood began work with its stakeholders on the implementation of the decision, and as of Monday, formerly ineligible people are able to donate. "The Red Cross Lifeblood Service is literally begging people to donate, yet they're saying to gay men who are safe to donate, 'We don't want you'. Canada this year removed the ban on blood donations from gay men, with the country's health department describing it as "a significant milestone toward a more inclusive blood donation system".