BLOOD DONATION

The minimum age requirement is 17 years old. No upper age limit.

Do not give blood to get an AIDS test. Please see your own doctor or local health department to get tested. We are required to report all positive HIV results to public health officials. Do not give blood if you are at risk for getting and spreading the AIDS virus. You are at risk if: -you are a male who has had sex with another male since 1977, even once -you have ever used a needle, even once, to take any illegal drugs or steroids -you have taken clotting factor concentrates for a bleeding disorder such as hemophilia -you have ever had a positive test for AIDS (HIV) or AIDS antibody or antigen -you have AIDS or one of its symptoms, which include: --unexplained weight loss (10 pounds or more in less than 2 months) --night sweats --blue or purple spots on or under the skin --long-lasting white spots or unusual sores in your mouth --lumps in your neck, armpits, or groin that last more than a month --fever higher than 99 degrees that lasts more than 10 days --diarrhea lasting over a month --persistent cough and shortness of breath -you have had sex with any person described above in the last 12 months -you have been given money or drugs for sex since 1977 -you were born in or lived in (for more than one year) Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Niger, or Nigeria since 1977 --you received blood transfusions or medical treatment with a blood product in any of these countries since 1977 --you had sex with anyone who was born in or lived in any of these countries since 1977

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

Defer temporarily if breathing difficulty is present

Accept if controlled

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

Defer for 12 months Defer indefinitely for blood transfusion received in the U.K. since 1980

Defer indefinitely if at increased risk, a history of, diagnosed, or if one or more relatives have been diagnosed -see Travel Outside of U.S. section

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

Accept two weeks after initial dosage of insulin or change of dosage Use of insulin pump may be acceptable Defer indefinitely if, since 1980, received an injection of bovine (beef) insulin made from cattle from the United Kingdom, Eastern Europe, Western Europe or Oman

Accept every 8 weeks (or every 56 days) for whole blood donation Accept every 112 days for double red cell donation Accept 3 days after routine plateletpheresis (for whole blood donation or double red cell donation)

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

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

Defer indefinitely hepatitis/yellow jaundice or liver disease of unknown origin on or after age 11 Defer indefinitely if hepatitis/jaundice at any age due to Epstein-Barr Virus (EBV) or mononucleosis 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 II Defer confirmed positive HBsAg, repeat reactive anti-HCV or anti-HBc at any age

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 in a 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 inoculation (needle stick), an open wound, non-intact skin or mucous membrane Accept sterile body piercing

Defer 60 days for smallpox vaccination or close contact with vaccination site of anyone else 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 -Mumps Defer 4 weeks for exposure to chicken pox Defer 3 weeks for exposure to meningitis Defer 2 weeks for Red Measles (Rubeola), Mumps, Oral Polio, 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/treatment see Travel Outside of U.S. section

Defer indefinitely for Pituitary-Derived Human Growth Hormone, Tegison and immunosuppressive medications such as lmuran Defer 3 years from last dose of Soriatane Defer 6 months from last dose of Avodart (dutasteride) Defer 8 weeks for injections of radioactive material Defer 4 weeks after last dose of Accutane, Proscar, or Propecia. Defer 2 weeks for any change in insulin dose Use of insulin pump may be acceptable Defer 5 days after last dose of anticoagulants Antibiotics (oral or intramuscular) or antifungals are acceptable if course of medication is completed and donor is asymptomatic. There is no waiting period for antifungals taken for vaginal, skin or nail infections. Antibiotics or antiseptics for prophylaxis are acceptable for certain conditions Antivirals (for example, Zovirax) are acceptable

Defer 12 months for allogeneic organ or tissue transplants, including dental powder Defer indefinitely if received dura mater or comeal transplant Accept autologous transplants if only autologous received

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

Defer for sickle cell disease Accept for sickle cell trait

Donors will be individually evaluated Phlebotomy site must be free of rash/skin disease

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

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

Defer 12 months for travel into a malaria risk area. If travel was to a country with malaria risk, but the donor was not in the actual risk area, donor is acceptable. Defer for 12 months after travel to or having lived in Iraq due to possible Leishmaniasis exposure Defer 3 years after having lived for 5 years or more in any country with malaria Defer indefinitely if from January 1, 1980 through December 31, 1996 spent a total time that adds up to 3 months or more in the United Kingdom (England, Northern Ireland, Scotland, Wales, Isle of Man, Channel Islands, Gibraltar, Falkland Islands) Defer indefinitely if since January 1, 1980 spent a total time that adds up to 6 months or more in any combination of country(ies) from the United Kingdom, Eastern Europe, Western Europe, Turkey or Oman See AIDS section Malaria Risk Information: http://www.cdc.gov/travel/regionalmalaria/

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