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A LIST OF GUIDELINES FOR DONATING BLOOD AND REQUIREMENTS AND DETAILS
ABOUT BLOOD DONATION. THE LIST IS MEANT TO PREPARE FOR HOW TO DONATE
BLOOD OR DONATE PLASMA. |
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Basics || Frequency || Don'ts || Medical || Medication ||
Immunization || Other Restrictions || Travel
NEW INFORMATION FLASH
The American Red Cross is
refusing donations from people who have spent a cumulative three months
in Great Britain or those who have spent six months in any part of
Europe since 1980.
Other blood banks continue to follow United
States Government and Food and Drug Administration requirements that bar donations only
from people who have spent six months or more in Great Britain between 1980 and 1996.
BloodBook.com believes that these restrictions may be brought into compliance with the Red
Cross guidelines or even made tighter very soon. |
Blood donor requirements
change very frequently. For up-to-date information or clarifying opinions and rules about
American Red Cross rules about Blood donor deferrals, call 1-800-448-3543.
It is the responsibility of hospitals, Blood
collection centers, and Blood storage facilities to protect the health of those donating
Blood and to assure the safety of the Blood supply in general. Therefore, tests will be
performed and a donor’s general health evaluated at the time of every donation. All
physical conditions are ultimately subject to the review and approval of a physician in
charge and accountable. High or low Blood pressure may exclude a donor for an undetermined
length of time. Low hemoglobin (iron) content in the Blood is also cause for temporary
deferral.
NEW
YORK PLASMA ::
CALIFORNIA PLASMA :: FLORIDA BLOOD PLASMA ::
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MERCURY - THIMEROSAL™
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SELLING SPERM
It is unfortunate that in the United States,
as well as some other countries, this 'highly sophisticated' system of Blood collection,
testing, storage, management, and dispensing by sale, for profit, is substantially based
on the honor system. If the donor lies or is mistaken about any of the following
questions, the Blood supply is at risk!
Blood centers follow a recommended 'five
layer' standard of safety protocol for donor eligibility standards, individual screening,
laboratory testing, confidential exclusion of donations, and donor record checks.
(However, then again, they may not!)
 Every word on
this page is subject to change without notice from or to anyone! Eligibility for Blood
donation changes constantly as new scientific information becomes available. Also, there
is, in the United States, a strong political component to many aspects of Blood donation.
Other factors influencing Blood donation are the cost of Blood testing and the severity of
the need for Blood and Blood products. Rules for eligibility used by the Food and Drug
Administration, the American Red Cross, the American Association of Blood Banks and your
local Blood collection facility are often different. Call before visiting to donate!
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TYPES OF BLOOD DONORS
One of the keys to a good Blood transfusion is starting with good Blood. There is a
massive effort to make sure that "the Blood supply is safer than it has ever
been." Since economics enter the picture, however, an informed receiver of Blood
and/or Blood products is less likely to have problems of the 'now known' or the 'not now
known' variety. The three types of Blood donors are:
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Volunteer
Blood Donors: As a rule, a greater percentage of better quality Blood comes from
volunteer donors. Hence, there is a massive effort under way to recruit this class of
donor. Volunteer donors are very important because the incidence of Blood transmitted
disease is much less in Blood drawn from volunteers. In the United States, most whole
Blood donations come from volunteer donors. Most Blood for Blood products is not donated
in this way.
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Replacement
Blood Donors: Blood donors who donate their Blood as a replacement for their own
Blood, or that of a friend or relative are called replacement donors. Blood
"scares" in recent years have caused this to grow. The donor is selected by the
recipient; they then go to the Blood donor center to be tested and typed; their Blood is
then drawn and stored for use by the designated recipient.
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Professional
Blood Donors: Blood donors who get either monetary benefit or helps of various
other kinds in return for the Blood that they donate. Such donors are statistically more
likely to carry some infection. Their Blood is more likely to be of a lower standard as
they tend to donate more frequently.
Professional (paid) donors are not often turned away. There is, in fact, in most
organizations, a place and an informal policy in place to manage these donors. To give
some idea of the policies that make this Blood acceptable, the policy may read:
"..... if a blood establishment provides monetary payment to a donor, all products
collected from that donor that are intended for transfusion and that are collected during
the donation at which the donor received the monetary incentive should be labeled with the
'paid donor' classification statement. These products include Whole Blood, Red Blood
Cells, Fresh Frozen Plasma, and Platelets. Monetary payment includes cash, in any amount,
or items that are readily convertible to cash. If a cash payment in any amount is made to
a group to which the donor belongs, this would be considered a monetary payment to the
donor and the products collected from the donor should be labeled with the 'paid donor'
classification statement" etc.
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It is unfortunate that in the United States,
as well as some other countries, this 'highly sophisticated' system of Blood collection,
testing, storage, management, and dispensing by sale, for profit, is substantially based
on the honor system. All potential Blood donors are asked over 90 short, easy-to-answer
questions. This is the basis of decision on the suitability of the Blood donor and their
Blood. If the donor lies or is mistaken about any of the following questions, the Blood
supply is at risk!
The most common eligibility guidelines in the
United States (some other countries have differing guidelines) are outlined below. These
are subject to change.
BASIC REQUIREMENTS
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Be in generally
good health and feeling well. |
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Be at least 17
years of age; upper age 60 (420d*). |
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Weigh at least 110
pounds (45 kg). |
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Pulse: 80 to 100
beats/min and regular. |
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Temperature:
Should not exceed 99.5 (37.5c). |
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Blood Pressure:
acceptable range is 160/90 to 110/60. |
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Skin: the
venipuncture site should be free of any lesion or scar of needle pricks indicative of
addiction to narcotics or frequent Blood donation (as in the case of professional Blood
donors). |
DONATION
FREQUENCY (may vary)
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Whole Blood donors
may donate every 56 days. |
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Plasma donors may
donate twice a week (max. every 48 hours.) |
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Platelet donors
may donate a maximum of 24 times per year. |
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Other specialized
donations are subject to other rules. |
DO NOT DONATE
BLOOD IF:
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You have ever
tested positive for HIV, |
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You have ever
injected yourself with drugs or other substances not prescribed by a physician, |
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You are a man and
have had sex with another man, even once, |
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You have
hemophilia or another Blood clotting disorder and received clotting factor concentrate, |
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You have engaged
in sex for drugs or money since 1977, |
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You have lived in
western Europe since 1980, |
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You have been held
in a correctional facility (including jails, prisons and/or detention centers) for more
than 72 hours in the last 12 months, |
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You were born in,
lived in or had sex with anyone who lived in, or received Blood products in Cameroon,
Central African Republic, Chad, Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Niger or Nigeria since
1977 (this list changes frequently; updates are very important) or, |
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You are, or have
been a sexual contact of someone in the above list.
NOTE: There is a special watch for potential donors who have visited or
lived in England/United Kingdom from 1980 to 1999, and those who have lived and/or worked
in Western Europe since 1980. |
MEDICAL
CONDITIONS
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Accident &
Injury: can donate if otherwise healthy |
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Aids: can not
donate |
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Allergies: can
donate if there is no infection present and there is no treatment ongoing
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Anemia: defer
donation until no symptoms exist |
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Arthritis: can
donate if mild and not on medication |
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Asthma: those with
severe asthma requiring regular treatment can not donate; can donate if
there are no symptoms evident |
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Babesiosis: can not
donate |
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Blood disorders or
bleeding tendencies: can not donate |
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Blood Pressure:
acceptable range is 160/90 to 110/60. (see medication section below for medication
restrictions.) |
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Brain or spinal
surgery that required a transplant of brain covering (dura mater): can not
donate |
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Bronchitis: defer
donation until four weeks or after recovery |
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CJD: When a Blood
relative has been diagnosed with Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease (CJD), or there is an increased
family risk of CJD; can not donate |
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Cancer: Basal
cell, squamous cell skin cancers and keratosis; can not donate until
removed and healed. Melanoma; can not donate. Malignant tumors; can
donate five years after removal of early stage contained solid tumor, no chemotherapy, and
in remission |
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Chicken Pox: defer
donation until four weeks after recovery |
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Chlamydia: like
all other venereal diseases; a minimum of a one year deferral is required
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Colds, fever, flu,
sore throat: can not donate until symptoms (sore throat, cough,
respiratory infection, headache) are completely gone |
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Cold Sore, Fever
Blister, Canker Sore: can donate |
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Colitis: can not
donate |
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Colostomy: can not
donate |
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Dementia: can not
donate |
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Dengue: defer
donation until four weeks after recovery |
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Dermatitis: can
donate if mild; defer donation if severe |
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Diabetes: can
donate if treatment is by diet control and condition is stable; defer
donation if on medication |
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Diarrhea: defer
donation until three weeks after recovery |
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Eczema: can donate
if mild. defer donation if severe |
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Emphysema: can not
donate |
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Filariasis: can not
donate |
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Food Poisoning: defer
donation for one week after full recovery |
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Gastroenteritis: defer
donation for one week after full recovery |
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Gall Stone: can
donate if not on medication |
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Gonorrhea/Syphilis:
defer donation for one year after complete recovery |
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Gout: can not
donate |
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Heart attack: can
donate if greater than one year since, and no symptoms present, the
attending Blood authority physician must carefully evaluate |
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Heart surgery,
Coronary artery bypass surgery (CABG) or angioplasty: can donate one year after surgery, if
no history of heart attack, and the donor is on no medication for the heart (aspirin is
okay) |
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Hemochromatosis:
can not donate |
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Hepatitis:
Hepatitis or undiagnosed jaundice after age ten; can not donate. Positive
hepatitis test: can not donate. Can donate if the
history of hepatitis is pertaining to mononucleosis or CMV infection |
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Herpes (genital):
can donate four weeks after lesions completely clear |
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Leprosy: can not
donate |
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Malaria; had
Malaria in last three years: defer donation for three years after full
recovery (also see Travel and Residency Restrictions below) |
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Pregnancy and
Miscarriage: can donate after six weeks of full term normal delivery. Can donate six weeks
after termination in third trimester. First or second trimester miscarriage can donate
after stable |
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Prostate: can not
donate |
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Sexually
transmitted diseases - Genital herpes: can not donate until all lesions
are completely clear |
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Sickle Cell Trait:
can not donate |
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Seizures in the
last five Years: can not donate |
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Spondylosis: can
donate if feeling well and not under any treatment at all |
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Strokes: can not
donate |
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Surgery (all): can
donate after healed and released from physician care. |
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Syphilis: see
Gonorrhea |
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Thyroid: for
Hypothyroid, can donate if feeling well and euthyroid on thyroxine for
six months. For Hyperthyroid: can not donate until euthyroid for six
months. |
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Tuberculosis: can not
donate until two years after complete cure |
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Viral Infection:
can donate after cure and off treatment |
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Worms: can donate
after complete cure |
MEDICATION
GUIDELINES
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Acetaminophen
(e.g. Tylenol): may be taken in normal moderate doses before any Blood donation |
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Accutane:
four-week deferral |
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Allergy
medication: can donate |
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Antibiotics:
72-hour deferral after infection is healed |
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Anti-inflammatory
drugs (Advil, Ibuprofen, Motrin and Naprosyn): may not be taken within 24
hours before a platelet donation (some other rules may apply) |
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Aspirin-containing
products or Feldene and Lodine XL: may not donate within 36 hours before
platelet donation |
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Birth control
pills: can donate |
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Blood pressure
medication: can donate under present FDA and American Red Cross standards in force |
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Depression
medication: can donate |
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Diabetic
medication - Injected bovine (beef) insulin since 1980; can not donate |
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Diet pills: can
donate |
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Diuretics: can
donate |
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Female hormone
pills: can donate |
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Any human
pituitary-derived hormone (i.e. growth hormone): can not donate |
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Soriatane
(Acitretin): three-year deferral |
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Tegison (used to
treat a severe skin disorder): can not donate if ever taken |
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Thyroid
medication: can donate if stabilized |
IMMUNIZATION
EXCLUSIONS
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Polio, mumps,
smallpox: two-week or more deferral |
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Rubella or Rubeola
(types of measles): four week deferral |
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Tetanus,
diphtheria, flu, Hepatitis B: can not donate until any reaction is over |
OTHER POSSIBLE
RESTRICTIONS
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Acupuncture:
one-year deferral |
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Alcohol: defer
donation if consumed in last 12 hours |
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Body piercing:
one-year deferral |
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Cocaine:
taking through the nose (snorting); one-year deferral minimum,
local Blood authority will prevail |
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Dental work -
Cleaning and fillings: one-day deferral; Root canal: three-day deferral
after work is complete |
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Ear piercing: can
donate if the piercing was performed in a doctor’s office (with
written verification) otherwise, one-year deferral |
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Electrolysis: defer
donation for one year |
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Hepatitis
exposure: one-year deferral |
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Menstruation: can
donate |
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Rape: one-year deferral
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Smoker: can donate
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Tattoo in the last
12 months: one-year deferral |
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Transfusion: defer
donation by one year if undergone transfusion with Blood products. Can
donate if undergone autologous transfusion only |
TRAVEL and
RESIDENCY OUTSIDE of the UNITED STATES
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England/United
Kingdom - visited or lived in from 1980 to 1999: deferred indefinitely
(this standard varies between United States FDA and The American Red Cross and the
American Association of Blood Banks. |
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Western Europe -
visited or lived in since 1980 deferred indefinitely |
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Born in, lived in
or had sex with anyone who lived in, or received Blood products in Cameroon, Central
African Republic, Chad, Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Niger or Nigeria since 1977 (this
list changes frequently; updates are very important): deferral indefinitely.
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Lived or traveled
in an area where Malaria is prevalent (Central America and South America, etc.):
three-year deferral, |
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Other international travelers: different restrictions apply
as precaution against mad cow disease, depending on what blood bank and region
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For up-to-date information or opinions about
American Red Cross rules about Blood donor deferrals, call 1-800-448-3543.
* 60 Human years = approx. 420 dog
years
Thank you for
visiting BloodBook.com. |
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