United States blood donation defferal list

[FunctionalOlfactio]

United States blood donation deferral list

This is more biology than pharmacology, but maybe you all might have some insight.

I went to donate blood recently and was given a "Deferral List". If I had lived in any of the listed countries or visited them within a certain time frame I couldn't donate.

Here is the list.
Albania
Austria
Bosnia-Herzegovina
Bulgaria
Croatia
Czech Republic
Denmark
Yugoslavia
France and territories
Germany
Greece
Hungary
Italy and territories
Liechtenstein
Luxembourg
Macedonia
Netherlands and Holland
Norway
Poland
Portugal and territories
Ireland Romania
Slovak Republic
Slovenia
Spain and territories
Sweden
Switzerland

Highlighted in red without explanation
United Kingdom and all territories

They're all European, but some European countries are excluded (an example is Andorra). Also they didn't seem concerned if I had been in third world countries or Asia. Why can't I donate blood if I have lived in the United Kingdom, but if I lived in a war torn nation with infectious disease issues such as Sierra Leone I could donate?

 

[Kittycat5]

I believe it is because of mad cow disease and the prevalence of it in those countries.

 

[sekio]

this is not neuroscience 9or pharmacology