Blood donation, a risk for epileptic patients?

Generally patients with epilepsy will not be accepted as blood donors by blood banks. A survey in the Dutch blood banks revealed two blood banks with a total of 13 donors suffering from epilepsy. We also questioned the Chapters of the International League against Epilepsy. The answers on a national and international level differed widely. We believe that the rare convulsion during blood donation is not an epileptic seizure, but in fact an emotive syncope. We advocate the acceptance of patients with epilepsy, free of seizures for 2 years irrespective of their medication, as blood donors.