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Should sickle cell trait individuals be eligible to make plateletpheresis donations?

A physician in the United Kingdom with responsibility for reviewing selection criteria for acceptance of individuals as plateletpheresis donors has requested that colleagues of the e-network forum provide data that could provide evidence whether sickle cell trait individuals should or should not be eligible to make plateletpheresis donations. The inquiring physician has anecdotal evidence that there is no increased risk to sickle trait individuals to donate platelets on apheresis machines. However, the current UK guidelines include the statement, "Persons with sickle cell trait should not be accepted as apheresis donors". In the opinion of the inquiring physician there is currently not much evidence to back up this policy statement. In addition, the physician has discovered several donors on their apheresis panel who have donated platelets by apheresis for years without apparent ill effects.

Please submit comments to the e-Network Forum.

Ira A. Shulman, MD
CBBS e-Network Forum Editor & Moderator
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Posted: October 31, 2002

Addenda:

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