Central Nervous System Disease

Cerebrovascular disease, including stroke, cerebral haemorrhage, embolus or transient ischaemic attack. See specific entry for Cerebrovascular Disease.

Must not donate if:
a) Has Dementia (e.g. Alzheimer's disease).

b) History of CNS disease of unknown or suspected infective origin (e.g. multiple sclerosis(MS), optic neuritis, clinically isolated syndrome, transverse myelitis, Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD)).

c) Neurodegenerative conditions of unknown aetiology (e.g. Parkinson's disease).

d) CNS tumour.

e) Parkinson’s Disease.

f) Having symptoms related to hypotension while taking dopamine receptor agonist drugs such as rotigotine, ropinirole and pramipexole.

a) Individuals who have had Bell's palsy more than four weeks ago and have discontinued any treatment for the condition for at least seven days, once investigated and discharged from specialist follow-up, even if they have residual paralysis, accept.

b) If a definite diagnosis of transient global amnesia has been made, accept.

c) If the cause of the disease is not established, refer to DCSO.

d) If taken for a condition other than Parkinson’s Disease, as long as not having symptoms of hypotension related to dopamine receptor agonist drugs such as rotigotine, bromocriptine, ropinirole and pramipexole, accept.

Cerebrovascular Disease
Epilepsy
Malignancy
Neurosurgery
Prion Associated Diseases
Rabies

As donation can result in a drop in blood pressure, there is the possibility that this could lead to further problems. Although the level of risk will vary from person to person, it is not acceptable to put an individual at increased risk, for what could be a severe adverse event, to any unnecessary further risk.

Transient global amnesia is a temporary and isolated disorder of memory. Affected individuals are usually over 50 years of age and there is an association with migraine. There is no association with cerebrovascular disease.

This is a requirement of the EU Tissue & Cells Directive.

Obligatory section updated to move ‘stroke, transient ischaemic attack/s or cerebral embolus’ to the new entry created for ‘cerebrovascular disease’. Revisions to the text of the ’Discretionary’ and ‘Additional information’ sections.