Eamon Scanlon (Sligo-Leitrim, Fianna Fail)
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455. To ask the Minister for Health the screening process in place to detect Lyme disease in blood donations; the way in which the Irish Blood Transfusion Service assesses donors for symptoms of Lyme disease; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48165/18]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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A donor who has symptoms of chronic Lyme disease cannot donate blood. A donor who has made a full recovery from this disease can donate two weeks after full recovery.

Lyme disease was risk-assessed as a transfusion risk by the Standing Advisory Committee on Transfusion Transmitted Diseases UK in 2016 and it was determined that no specific measures were needed in view of the lack of evidence of transfusion-transmitted infection.

The IBTS will keep developments in this area under review and will continue to utilise the best medical and scientific evidence available to underpin their deferral policies for blood donation.