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WHO CAN GIVE BLOOD
Donors must be at least 17 years old (or 16 at NYBC's NY drives with appropriate written parental/guardian's permission), weigh at least 110 pounds, and be in good health.
People over 75 can continue to donate blood if they meet all donor criteria and present a physician's letter allowing them to donate.
There are, however, some medical conditions that can keep someone from giving blood. These guidelines are set by federal, state and local health agencies to protect both donors and patients.
If you have specific questions about your donor eligibility, call
1-800-688-0900 or review the Medical Condition chart in Before You Donate. Whole blood donors also cannot have donated in the prior 56 days.
How Often Can I Donate
Whole blood donors can donate every 56 days or up to six times a year.
Some people who meet specific minimum height and weight requirements can choose or be advised to make an automated red cell donation. These donors (sometimes referred to as double red cell donors) help save two patients with their single automated red cell donation because it yields enough for two patient transfusions. Automated red cell donors can donate every 112 days or 3 times a year.
People can donate platelets every 3 days or a maximum of 24 times a year. Plasma can be donated every 28 days.
People can donate leukocytes (white cells) every 7 days.
Some people donate various blood components which impacts when they are next eligible to donate. So it's best to check with New York Blood Center to confirm your next accurate donation opportunity.
Before You Donate
There are many permanent or temporary reasons someone may not be eligible to donate blood. The most common reasons are listed below. Some medications or medical conditions can also impact your donation eligibility. Links to those are included below.
THE MOST COMMON REASONS FOR NOT BEING ABLE TO GIVE BLOOD
Temporary Reasons
| Condition |
Length of time before you can give blood |
| Not feeling well for any reason |
until symptoms are over |
| Cold, sore throat, respiratory infection, flu |
until symptoms are over |
| Travel to an area of the world where malaria is a problem. |
12 months after return |
| Antibiotics (except antibiotics for acne) |
When treatment is complete if taken for infection |
| Accutane, Proscar, Propecia |
1 month after taking last dose |
| Avodart |
6 months after taking last dose |
| Soriatane |
3 years after taking last dose |
| Certain cases of heart disease |
Contact us for Medical Eligibility at
1-800-688-0900 |
| Ears, nose or skin piercing |
12 months after procedure unless done under sterile conditions |
| Tattoos |
12 months after procedure |
| Blood transfusion |
12 months after receiving blood |
| Full-term pregnancy |
6 weeks after delivery |
| Abortion or miscarriage |
6 weeks if after the first trimester (12 weeks) |
| Surgery, serious injury |
when healing is complete and feeling well |
| Smallpox vaccination |
2 months after vaccination |
| Tuberculosis (T.B.) |
after completion of treatment |
| Have been an inmate of a correctional institution for more than 72 consecutive hours |
12 months from date of release |
| Syphilis, gonorrhea |
12 months following diagnosis and treatment |
| You or your sexual partner had sex with a prostitute within the past 12 months, even once |
12 months after last incident |
| Have had sex with anyone listed in the first five categories in the Permanent Reasons listed below |
12 months after last incident |
| Treatment with Coumadin |
14 days after taking last dose |
Permanent Reasons
You cannot give blood if you:
- Have used illegal drugs with a needle, even once
- Are a man who has had sex with another man since 1977, even once
- Are a hemophiliac
- Have ever had a positive antibody test for HIV (AIDS Virus)
- Are a man or woman who has had sex for money or drugs any time since 1977
- Have had viral hepatitis or a positive test for viral hepatitis any time after your eleventh birthday
- Have had certain forms of cancer (contact us regarding medical eligibility at 1-800-688-0900)
- Have had babesiosis or Chagas disease
- Have taken Tegison for psoriasis
- Have Creutzfeldt-Jacob disease (CJD) and/or an immediate member of your family has CJD
Notes
- Most people with diabetes, and most people on medications other than those noted above, are eligible to donate blood. For specific medical eligibility guidelines, call us at 1-800-688-0900.
- Federal guidelines may exclude people permanently or temporarily from donating blood if they were born in, have lived in or have traveled to or from certain countries outside of the United States.
Countries at risk for vCJD (also known as "mad cow disease")
- The reasons for not being eligible to donate blood may have changed after this posting.
An Urgent Request: Please do not give blood to find out your HIV (AIDS virus) test results. If you need information on where to go for confidential HIV testing, please call your local health department.
AFTER YOU DONATE
After your donation your blood is typed and tested for hepatitis, HIV (the AIDS virus), syphilis, and several other transmissible conditions. Some test results may temporarily or permanently prevent someone from donating blood. If test results warrant counseling, NYBC's clinicians, social workers and nurses provide it.
We also offer some added-value screening to donors which are detailed under Community Health Initiatives.
Most donated pints of blood are separated into various components (red cells, platelets, plasma) so several patients can benefit. This activity happens in our component labs, which are located in Manhattan and Westbury.
Following testing, each blood component is labeled, identifying the blood type and any other special characteristics. Blood may be stored or frozen in New York Blood Center for a period of time before being transported to one of nearly 200 New York or New Jersey hospitals we serve. However, we do deliver blood products to hospitals on a daily and emergency basis.
Lastly, we urge all donors to call us at (800)688-0900 if they feel ill anytime following their donation, to report any adverse donor reactions or if they become aware of any information about their health that would affect whether their donation should be transfused.
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