New regulations went into effect today at the Blood Center of Central Iowa that will reject donors who lived in the United Kindom for a total of six months between the years 1980 and 1996. Blood Center spokeswoman Jackie Cacciatore says the new regulations are being handed down by the U-S Food and Drug Administration to prevent the spread of “mad cow” disease.She says people who are turned down for giving blood should not panic as the risk is theoretical and there is no evidence that the disease can be transmitted by blood.Call the blood center at 800-287-4903 with any questions. The Blood Center of Central Iowa serves 26 hospitals in 22 Iowa counties.
