In the
U.S., the first question you will be asked when donating is if you are feeling well enough to give blood. Other general questions asked in the initial interview are about various
medications that can prevent a person from donating or cause that person to wait for a specific amount of time following their last dose before they can donate blood (taken from http://www.redcross.org/):
-
Accutane (isoretinoin), Proscar (finasteride), and Propecia (finasteride) - wait 4 weeks
- Arava (leflunomide) - wait 3 months
- Aspirin, no waiting period for donating blood. However you must wait 36 hours after taking aspirin or any medication containing aspirin before donating platelets by apheresis
- Chemotherapy-type drugs used for conditions other than cancer (examples: bleomycin, interferon, methotrexate) - wait 4 weeks from last dose
- Coumadin, heparin or other prescription blood thinners- you should not donate since your blood will not clot normally. If your doctor discontinues your treatment with blood thinners, wait 5 days before returning to donate.
- human pituitary-derived growth hormone at any time - you are not eligible to donate blood
- Lupron used for condition other than cancer - wait 4 months from last dose
- Plavix - wait 36 hours after taking this medication before donating platelets by apheresis
- Soriatane (acitretin) - wait 3 years
- Tegison (etretinate) at any time - you are not eligible to donate blood
- Ticlid - wait 36 hours after taking this medication before donating platelets by apheresis
You are not allowed to donate blood if (taken from http://www.manateeblood.org/):
1. Have ever had a confirmed positive test for HIV (
AIDS)
2. Have recently experienced the following signs or symptoms:
-
Unexplained weight loss
- Night sweats
- Blue or purple spots (on or under the skin, or on mucous membranes) typical of Kaposi’s sarcoma
- Lymph nodes swollen for 1 month or more
- Persistent white spots or unusual blemishes in the mouth
- Fever greater than 100.5 for more than 10 days
- Persistent cough and shortness of breath
- Persistent diarrhea
3. Have participated in activities that put you at risk of acquiring AIDS including:
-
Any man who has had sex with another man, even once since 1977
- Past or present IV drug users (even steroids)
- Anyone who has engaged in sex for money or drugs since 1977
4. Have had sex in the last 12 months with anyone who participated in high risk activities described above
5. Have ever had
hepatitis
6. Have ever received human growth hormone (hGH) made from
pituitary glands or
dura mater (brain membrane) transplant
7. Know you have a disease that may be passed by blood
8. Have been in jail for 3 consecutive days within the last year
9. Were born in or lived in any of the following countries since 1977:
Cameroon,
Central African Republic,
Chad,
Congo, Equatorial
Guinea,
Gabon,
Niger or
Nigeria
10. Have had sex with anyone who was born in or lived in those countries mentioned in #9 since 1977
11. Traveled to one of those countries mentioned in #9 since 1977 and received a blood
transfusion or any medical treatment with a product made from blood
Another restriction is that you may not donate blood if you've if between 1980 and 1995 you lived on a military base in
Europe for 6 months OR lived in Europe for 5 years. This is due to
mad cow disease.
Having
Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease or being related to someone with this disease also impedes you from giving blood.
Common medical ailments such as
anemia and
hypoglycemia also impede you from giving blood. In fact, you don't need to be anemic to be rejected. Having a a low iron (
hemoglobin or
hematocrit) level can also prevent you from giving blood, however eating foods high in iron (such as red
meat, dark green vegetables, beans, etc.) or taking a
multivitamin can alleviate the problem.