Eligibility to Donate

Typically anyone in good health who is at least 17 years of age and weighs at least 110 pounds may donate blood and/or platelets. Blood donors are carefully screened for a variety of health conditions, medications, and travel to determine donor eligibility. Some of the more common reasons for deferral (not being able to donate) are listed below:


Medical Conditions

AIDS - High risk individuals and their partners Permanent deferral
Cold or flu 48 hour deferral after symptoms are gone
Hepatitis or jaundice after age 11 and over Permanent deferral
Pregnancy - after delivery, miscarriage, abortion 6 week deferral
Surgery (without transfusion) 6 week deferral

Medications
Allergy medications, blood pressure medications, vitamins, diet pills, sleeping pills, ibuprofen, Tylenol® (most types of these medications acceptable) Eligible to donate
Antibiotics 72 hour deferral after last dose
Aspirin 48 hour deferral (platelets only)
Diabetes - controlled via oral medications Eligible to donate
Diabetes - insulin dependent Contact the Blood Donor Center for eligibility criteria
Feldene, Ticlid, Plavix 5 day deferral

Procedures
Ear piercing - performed by medical staff Eligible to donate
Ear piercing - unapproved location 1 year deferral
Tattoo 1 year deferral
Dental work - invasive 72 hour deferral
Teeth cleaning 24 hour deferral

Travel 
Malaria risk areas 1 year deferral
United Kingdom - 3 months or more cumulative time spent in U.K. from 1980-1996 Permanent deferral
Europe - 5 years or more cumulative time spent in Europe from 1980 to present Permanent deferral
Military - from 1980 to the present Contact the Blood Donor Center for eligibility criteria

Vaccinations
Flu Eligible same day
Gardasil (HPV) Eligible same day
Hepatitis B vaccine (for prophylaxis only) Eligible same day
Hepatitis B vaccine (for exposure) 1 year deferral
Measles, Mumps, Rubella (MMR) 1 month deferral