Health conditions: People with certain diseases or health conditions (e.g., sickle cell disease, HIV, cancer, malaria) may need to consult with their donation center to discuss eligibility. Additionally, you are not eligible to donate if you received a blood transfusion in the last 3 months.
Weigh at least 110 lbs. Be free of major cold or flu-like symptoms. Have a photo ID with birthdate. Not have a history of Hepatitis B or Hepatitis C at any age.
Activities include: Nonprescription injection drug use. Engagement in sex for money or drugs. New sexual partner or more than one sexual partner in the last 3 months and engaged in anal sex in the last 3 months.
Medical History
Every individual is evaluated by a team of medical professionals at the time of death to screen for possible diseases that may rule out organ donation. Historically, the only diseases which exclude one from being an organ donor are HIV and metastatic cancer.
Health conditions: People with certain diseases or health conditions (e.g., sickle cell disease, HIV, cancer, malaria) may need to consult with their donation center to discuss eligibility. Additionally, you are not eligible to donate if you received a blood transfusion in the last 3 months.
We also decline the donation of individuals who have infections such as COVID-19, HIV, any form of Hepatitis, tuberculosis, antibiotic resistant infections such as Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), or prior diseases such as Creutzfeldt Jakob Disease (CJD).
We NEVER reuse a needle or tubing set. To protect patients, your blood is tested for hepatitis B or C, HIV, syphilis and other infections. If your blood tests positive, it will not be given to a patient. You will be notified about any positive test result which may affect when you are eligible to donate in the future.
People may be deferred from donation if they have a history of cancer, bleeding conditions or blood disease. Potential donors should contact their local blood collector to discuss their eligibility.
AB negative is the rarest of the eight main blood types - just 1% of our donors have it. Despite being rare, demand for AB negative blood is low and we don't struggle to find donors with AB negative blood. However, some blood types are both rare and in demand.
After you have donated, your blood will be tested for syphilis, HIV (the virus that causes AIDS), hepatitis, and HTLV (human T-lymphotropic virus), which can cause a blood or nerve disease.
Wait if you have a fever or a productive cough (bringing up phlegm). Wait if you do not feel well on the day of donation. Wait until you have completed antibiotic treatment for sinus, throat or lung infection. If you ever received a dura mater (brain covering) transplant you are not eligible to donate.
A Cell Therapy Blood (Whole Blood) collection or Leukocytes (Buffy Coat) collection takes approximately 1 – 2 hours. Donors are compensated starting at $200. The collection involves the insertion of a needle into one arm and blood is removed from one arm into a collection bag.
Complete blood count (CBC) The complete blood count (CBC) is one of the most common blood tests. It is often done as part of a routine checkup. This test measures many different parts of your blood, including red blood cells, white blood cells, and platelets.
Since 2005 repeat blood donors over the age of 68 years may donate blood with the permission of the physician-in-charge [10] which means that a fixed upper age limit has been abolished.
If a test result is positive, your donation will be discarded and you will be notified (our test results are confidential and are only shared with the donor, except as may be required by law).
Religions across the world encourage blood donation, but for millions of Jehovah's Witnesses, giving or transfusing blood is strictly forbidden.
Most healthy adults can donate a pint (about half a liter) safely, without health risks. Within a few days of a blood donation, your body replaces the lost fluids. And after two weeks, your body replaces the lost red blood cells.
Most health conditions do NOT prevent donation and age is not a factor. There are very few diseases that would make you ineligible to be an organ donor. Some severe infections, such as viral meningitis, active tuberculosis, Creutzfeldt-Jakob (Mad Cow) disease, and a few others would disqualify donation.
Most people feel fine during and after their donation. You might feel a small sting when the needle goes in, but you shouldn't feel any discomfort during the donation. That said, as with any procedure, reactions can sometimes occur when donating blood or plasma – before, during or after you leave the donor centre.
Medical conditions such as uncontrolled high blood pressure, diabetes, cancer, certain infections, or an uncontrolled psychiatric condition, could prevent you from being a living donor.