they say the hep c doesn't go away completley it's only undectected..so I have heard around here !!!

Once you test positive to HCV antibodies you cannot donate blood. Even successful treatment will not allow us to donate blood because we will always test positive to the antibodies.

Even people who had acute HCV but whose bodies fought it off on it's own cannot donate blood because they will also always be positive for the antibodies.

Keep in mind that testing positive to the antibodies does NOT mean one has active HCV. It simply means they were exposed to it at one time.

KaryMelly thts the problem I have with the donating blood. If we don't have it and can't infect anyone then why not except are blood there is a whole population out there who is short on blood. I want to donate and can't doesn't seem right. Sounds fishy to me either you are good or you aren't.

My understanding is that the virus never completely goes away. Even Hep A doesn't completely go away, so those folks can't donate either. But so long as it's inactive, you are considered cleared.

I don't know the official reason but my guess is that it's a cost factor and a timing factor. The antibody test has relatively quick result time and is relatively inexpensive but the test that is needed to determine if someone has active HCV is quite expensive and takes a much longer time for results.

Put it this way, if you'd never had Hep C, would you want them to take even the slightest chance of exposing you? I sure wouldn't. There are other things you could do, hand out juice and cookies, help with scheduling etc.

excellent point, nealy!

someone on here posted a while back about the livers of cadavers of people who were SVR for hep c. they still had the virus in their livers and i think they said it was active hep c virus? i'll see if i can find anything about this?

are u out of u're mind? u've had hepc and still have its just in remission..which is very good...it have to be a very desperate situation before they would even consider our blood..it have to be a do or die situation..to save some 1s life at the moment maybe..but then they may end up w/hep c..at least they didn't die..sorry to be so harsh..just kidding..ARE U OUT OF U'RE MIND,,,LOL,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

lol Dilly :)

oh chris if they even know u were ever a iv drug user or risky sex..they want let u donate either.hepc or no hepc...i have a congenital blood disease ,even before i did iv drugs..i never could donate blood..ever.....

@Chris...BINGO
..we can't give blood because there is no cure for hepC......we are simply cleared from the virus running rapid through our blood and chancing the ruin's of other organs...Treatment is not a cure, its simply a treatment,

O...and welcome to the group, I don't remember you....but welcome!....this is one of the best support informative group around, stick around, your learn more then the docs

I am often confused as to what is the deal with its around still. Unless it is active and reproducing all they are seeing are dead carcasses. After all if there are 40 virus the why cant they make more. They also cant distinguish between those who are virus free and those who aren`t without an expensive PCR test. Maybe do some volunteer work in some other way. Take Care All