JPAC Joint United Kingdom (UK) Blood Transfusion and Tissue Transplantation Services Professional Advisory Committee

Narcolepsy

ObligatoryMust not donate.
DiscretionaryIf free from sleep attacks or cataplexy for 12 months or more, even if on medication, accept.
Additional InformationNarcolepsy is a sleep disorder that can result in a variety of problems. Some affected individuals may fall asleep without warning (sleep attacks) or lose muscular control that can result in falling to the ground (cataplexy). In some cases cataplexy may have the appearance of a stroke, though recovery usually occurs within minutes.

Some individuals only have minor symptoms that should not interfere with donation. Sleep attacks and cataplexy may obviously cause problems during and after the donation process. However, some individuals have good control of symptoms through lifestyle adaptations and/or taking medication. If these problems are well controlled (no attacks for 12 or more months) the donor may be accepted.
Reason for changeA 'Discretionary' entry has been added together with 'Additional Information'.
Donor InformationIf you wish to obtain more information regarding a personal medical issue please contact your National Help Line.

Please do not contact this web site for personal medical queries, as we are not in a position to provide individual answers.

Update Information

This entry was last updated in:
DSG-WB Edition 203, Release 01.