Blood Bank

Eligibility

 

AIDS Exposure

defer 12 months if health care worker exposed to blood of patients with HIV infection by a needle stick or open wound

Allergy

defer temporarily if breathing difficulty is present

Asthma

accept if controlled

Blood Pressure

accept with or without medications if blood pressure is within American Red Cross limits on day of donation

Blood Transfusion

defer for 12 months

Cancer

accept:

  • if 5 years from date of diagnosis, surgery or last radiation treatment
  • if no recurrence
  • if no chemotherapy
  • some types of skin cancer

defer:

  • leukemia or lymphoma
  • recurrence of same cancer (except squamous or basal cell)

Cold, Flu or Sore Throat

defer temporarily for active cold or flu symptoms such as fever, sore throat, productive cough, or general fatigue on day of donation

Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease (CJD)

defer indefinitely if at increased risk, a history of, diagnosed, or if any relatives have been diagnosed

Dental

  • accept teeth cleaning, scaling, root canal, fillings and tooth extraction if no infection present
  • defer 3 days for oral surgery, abscesses or infection

Diabetes

  • accept two weeks after initial dosage of insulin or change of dosage
  • defer indefinitely if, since 1980, received an injection of bovine (beef) insulin made from cattle from the United Kingdom
  • Donation Intervals (for whole blood)
  • accept every 8 weeks (or every 56 days)
  • accept 3 days after routine plateletpheresis
  • accept 28 days after routine plasmapheresis

Epilepsy

accept if seizure-free for 3 months with or without medications

Heart Disease/Surgery

  • evaluated individually, must have no restrictions on physical activity, be symptom-free and on no medication for heart disease except for aspirin
  • 6-month wait after heart attack if above criteria met
  • accept musculoskeletal (non-cardiac) chest pain
  • 6-month deferral for non-diagnosed heart related chest pain
  • accept pacemaker if pulse and above criteria met

Hemoglobin

  • each donor’s hemoglobin is tested at the blood collection site
  • if deferred, deferral is only temporary and donor may try again next day

Hepatitis/Unexplained Jaundice

  • defer indefinitely hepatitis/yellow jaundice or liver disease of unknown origin on or after age 11
  • defer indefinitely if ever used a needle, even once to take any illegal drugs or steroids
  • accept jaundice or hepatitis associated with birth, medications, bile duct obstruction, or hepatitis before age 11
  • defer confirmed positive HBsAg, repeat reactive anti-HCV or anti-HBc at any age

Hepatitis Exposure

  • defer 12 months for close contact with hepatitis patient (close contact is defined as sexual contact or sharing same household, kitchen, and/or toilet facilities) or as membership group, e. g. dormitory, in which multiple cases of hepatitis have occurred
  • defer 12 months someone who is a current inmate of a correctional institution (including jails, prisons or detention centers) or someone who has been incarcerated for more than 72 consecutive hours during previous 12 months or someone who has been in a chronic long-term psychiatric/mental institution for more than 28 days
  • defer 12 months following blood transfusion, blood injections, tattoo, non-sterile needle stick/body piercing or blood contact with open wound, non-intact skin or mucous membrane
  • defer 12 months following human bite that resulted in a wound which broke the skin
  • accept casual contact (no contact with blood or body fluids)
  • defer 12 months for intranasal use of cocaine or any street drug
  • accept health care workers working with hepatitis/HIV positive patients providing
  • there is no contact with blood through nonsterile percutaneous innoculation (needle stick), an open wound, non-intact skin or mucous membrane
  • accept sterile body piercing

Immunization/Vaccination

  • defer 4 weeks for German Measles (Rubella), MMR (Measles, Mumps and Rubella) and Chicken Pox vaccine (Varivax)
  • defer 3 weeks for exposure to the following (unless immunized or had the disease):
    • Red Measles
    • German Measles
    • Chicken Pox
    • Mumps
  • defer 3 weeks for exposure to meningitis
  • defer 2 weeks for Red Measles (Rubeola), Mumps, Oral Polio, Small Pox and Yellow Fever vaccine
  • defer 7 days for hepatitis B vaccine when given for protection and not exposure (for exposure see Hepatitis Exposure section)
  • accept hepatitis A vaccine
  • accept most other immunizations/ vaccinations, e.g. flu, tetanus, providing donor is symptom-free and fever-free

Infectious Mononucleosis

accept if recovered

Malaria

  • defer 3 years after last symptom
  • see Travel Outside of U.S. section

Medications

  • defer indefinitely for Pituitary-Derived Human Growth Hormone and Tegison
  • defer 3 years from last dose of Soriatane
  • defer 8 weeks for injections of radioactive material
  • defer 4 weeks for Accutane, Proscar, Propecia & Gold therapy
  • defer 2 weeks for any change in insulin dose
  • defer for 2 days from last dose of oral or intramuscular antibiotics or antifungal unless taking for chronic condition
  • defer for 2 days from last dose of antivirals

Organ/Tissue Transplants

  • defer 12 months for allogeneic organ or tissue transplants, including dental powder
  • defer if received dura mater transplant
  • accept autologous transplants if only autologous received

Pregnancy

  • defer while pregnant
  • defer 6 weeks after uncomplicated third trimester or term delivery or caesarean section
  • defer 12 months if delivery required a blood transfusion
  • accept nursing mothers

Serious Illness

  • donors will be individually evaluated
  • defer indefinitely Kaposi’s sarcoma, Multiple Sclerosis, Lupus, Chagas Disease, Babesiosis, Lyme Disease, and Leishmaniasis

Sickle Cell

  • defer for sickle cell disease
  • accept for sickle cell trait

Skin Disease and Rash

  • donors will be individually evaluated
  • phlebotomy site must be free of rash/skin disease

Surgery

  • accept history of recent surgery if:
    • underlying illness does not disqualify donor
    • stitches/staples dissolved or removed
    • wound is healed
    • donor has resumed normal activity and is feeling well
  • accept minor cuts requiring stitches/staples after 48 hours if no signs of infection

Syphilis/Gonorrhea

  • defer if have had or have been treated for in last 12 months
  • defer if positive test for syphilis in past 12 months
  • documentation of treatment may be required