London
Thousands of British citizens have been banned from giving blood because of fears of transmitting mad cow disease. Health Secretary John Reid said this week that a man who died of the human variant, Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease, might have contracted it from a transfusion. Now, anyone who has had a blood transfusion since 1980 may not give blood. Mad cow disease, which causes a fatal degeneration of the brain, can be passed to humans through the eating of contaminated beef, particularly organ meats. At least 139 people have died of the illness in Britain since it emerged there nine years ago.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Create an account with the same email registered to your subscription to unlock access.
-
6 immersive experiences that bend realityThe Week Recommends Take a journey into the fantastic
-
Chicago is taking drastic measures to reduce its deficitIn the Spotlight The city is expected to face a budget shortfall of nearly $1 billion in 2025
-
Taylor Swift ties Beyoncé record at MTV awardsSpeed Read The pop star's acceptance speeches encouraged fans to register to vote and commemorated the victims of 9/11
