The ME Association wrote to Sir Liam Donaldson, Chief Medical Officer at =
the Department of Health, in October in relation to XMRV research - in =
particular the situation regarding blood donation and blood transfusion =
services here in the UK.
A copy of this letter is available in the October news archive on the =
MEA website: http://www.meassociation.org.uk
We have now received a reply from the CMO, with the following key =
points:
a.. The Standing Advisory Committee on Transfusion Transmitted =
Infections (SACTTI), part of UK Blood Services, will be producing a risk =
assessment for this virus.=20
b.. The current advice from UK Blood Services in relation to ME/CFS =
has been further clarified: Individuals suffering from ME/CFS are =
deferred from blood donation until their condition has resolved and they =
are feeling completely well.=20
c.. The research has also been drawn to the attention of the =
secretariats for the Advisory Committee on the Safety of Blood, Tissues =
and Organs (SaBTO) and the National Expert Panel on New and Emerging =
Infections (NEPNEI), who will continue to monitor developments in =
conjunction with UK Blood Services and the Health Protection Agency.=20
d.. A copy of the MEA letter and information on XMRV has also been =
passed to the Professional Director of the UK Blood Services Joint =
Professional Advisory Committee, along with all the UK virology and =
retrovirology experts who were copied into our original correspondence.
The MEA would like to thank everyone who has been in contact with =
information regarding blood donation by people with ME/CFS in other =
countries. We are keen to continue building up this database and any =
further help here would be much appreciated. It appears that there are =
very few countries who currently take the same position, or a similar =
position on blood donation, to that in the UK.=20
XMRV research will obviously feature during discussions that will be =
taking place at the Medical Research Council's Expert Group Workshop on =
ME/CFS next week in Oxfordshire.
Dr Charles Shepherd
Hon Medical Adviser, ME Association
Member of the MRC Expert Group
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