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Eligibility FAQ
Note: This list contains only some of the most common deferrals. It is not complete and is not intended to be used in place of medical screening by trained professionals at the blood center at the time of donation. Each donor will be required to answer questions about his/her medical history in a private screening booth. Medical staff will make a final decision about each donor's eligibility based on rules specified by the Food and Drug Administration. These rules were established to ensure the donation process will be safe for the donor as well as for the patient receiving the blood. The guidelines listed below were last revised on April 3, 2008. Changes to the criteria may have been made since the last revision date. Contact the Scott & White Blood Center at 877-724-HERO for the most current eligibility information.
- Accutane
- Allergies/Allergy Medications
- Antibiotics/Infections
- Anti-depressants
- Anti-inflammatory Medications
- Aspirin
- Avodart
- Blood Pressure Medications
- Blood Transfusion
- Cancer
- Chagas Disease or Babesiosis
- Cholesterol Medications
- Clotting Factors
- Contact with Blood
- Coumadin
- Diabetes
- Dura Mater Transplant Graft
- Ear/Body Piercing
- Flu Vaccine
- Gonorrhea
- Heart Disease
- Hepatitis
- HIV/AIDS
- Hormone Injections
- Human Growth Hormone Injections
- Ibuprofen
- Incarceration
- IV Drugs
- Needle Stick
- Organ or Tissue Transplant
- Phlebitis
- Pregnancy
- Propecia
- Proscar
- Rabies Shot
- Shingles Vaccine
- Soriatane
- Syphilis
- Tattoos
- Tegison
- Thyroid Medications
- vCJD (human version of mad cow disease)
- Warfarin
Accutane
You cannot donate blood while taking Accutane. You may donate blood one month from the date of your final dose.
Allergies/Allergy Medications
Neither seasonal allergies nor over-the-counter or prescription allergy medications will not affect your ability to donate blood as long as your symptoms do not include fever or colored mucus.
Antibiotics/Infections
You cannot donate blood if you are currently taking antibiotics or have an infection. You may donate blood once you have completed your full course of antibiotics.
If you are taking antibiotics as a part of a long-term preventative treatment, stop by the Blood Center to be evaluated on an individual basis.
Anti-depressants
Taking anti-depressant medications does not generally affect your ability to donate blood.
Anti-inflammatory Medications
Anti-inflammatory medications do not affect blood donations.
However, taking anti-inflammatory medications does affect platelet donations. You must stop taking the medications for two entire days before donating platelets.
Aspirin
Although aspirin itself does not affect whole blood donations, please let us know if you are on a regular aspirin regiment for heart health.
Taking aspirin does affect platelet donations. You must have two aspirin-free days before donating platelets.
Avodart
You cannot donate blood while taking Avodart. You may donate blood six months from the date of your final dose.
Blood Pressure Medications
Blood pressure medications will not interfere with your ability to donate blood. As long as your blood pressure is below 180/100 the day of your donation, you will be eligible to donate blood. If your blood pressure is too high when we check your vitals, you will be deferred from donating that day. However, you will be eligible to try to donate again as soon as the next day.
Blood Transfusion
You are deferred from donating blood for one year from the date of receiving a blood transfusion.
If you had a blood transfusion in the U.K. or France between 1980-present, you are permanently deferred from donating blood.
Cancer
You are permanently deferred from donating blood if you have had lymphoma, leukemia, or melanoma.
Generally, all other cancers will temporarily defer you for five years from the date you have completed your final treatment and are considered cancer free.
Chagas Disease or Babesiosis
You are permanently deferred from donating blood if you have Chagas Disease or Babesiosis.
Cholesterol Medications
High cholesterol and cholesterol medications have no affect on your ability to donate blood.
Clotting Factors
If you have ever taken clotting factors, you are permanently deferred from donating blood.
If you have had sex with anyone who has ever taken clotting factors, you are deferred for one year from last sexual contact.
Contact with Blood
You are deferred for one year from the date you had contact with someone else's blood.
Coumadin
You cannot donate blood while taking Coumadin. If you have ever taken Coumadin, please stop by the Blood Center to be evaluated on an individual basis.
Diabetes
If your diabetes is controlled by medication or diet, you are able to donate blood.
You cannot donate blood if you are insulin dependent.
Dura Mater Transplant Graft
You are permanently deferred from donating blood if you have had a Dura Mater Transplant graft.
Ear/Body Piercing
Ear piercings will not cause you to be deferred from donating blood as long as the piercing was performed by a professional using a sterile, single-use needle.
However, you will be deferred for one year from the date of obtaining self-inflicted ear piercings, self-inflicted body piercings, and professional body piercings.
Flu Vaccine
The flu vaccine has no affect on your ability to donate blood.
Gonorrhea
You will be deferred for one year from the date of your final treatment for gonorrhea.
Heart Disease
If you have a history of coronary or rheumatic heart disease, you are permanently deferred from donating blood.
Hepatitis
If you have had hepatitis since age 11, you are permanently deferred from donating blood.
If you have received Hepatitis B immune globulin, you are deferred for one year.
If you have had close contact with a person who has hepatitis, you are deferred for one year from the date of the last contact.
HIV/AIDS
If you have ever tested positive for HIV, you are permanently deferred from donating blood.
If you have sex with anyone with AIDS or a positive HIV test, you are deferred for one year from last sexual contact.
If you are a male who has had sex with another male since 1977, you are permanently deferred from donating blood.
If you have ever taken money or drugs as payment for sex, you are permanently deferred from donating blood.
Hormone Injections
Testosterone and estrogen hormone injections do not affect your ability to donate blood.
Human Growth Hormone Injections
If you have had human growth hormone injections, you are permanently deferred from donating blood.
Ibuprofen
Ibuprofen does not affect blood donations.
Taking ibuprofen does affect platelet donations. You must have two ibuprofen-free days before donating platelets.
Incarceration
If you have been in prison for 72 consecutive hours, you are deferred from donating blood for one year.
IV Drugs
If you have ever used IV drugs, you are permanently deferred from donating blood.
If you have had sex with an IV drug user, you are deferred from donating blood for one year.
Needle Stick
You are deferred for one year from the date of an accidental contaminated needle stick.
Organ or Tissue Transplant
You are deferred for one year from the date of an organ or tissue transplant.
Phlebitis
If you have a history of phlebitis, you are permanently deferred from donating blood.
Pregnancy
If you are or might be currently pregnant, you cannot donate blood.
You can donate blood after you have been cleared from your physician six weeks post partum.
Propecia
You cannot donate blood while taking Propecia. You may donate blood one month from the date of your final dose.
Proscar
You cannot donate blood while taking Proscar. You may donate blood one month from the date of your final dose.
Rabies Shot
You are deferred for one year from the date you receive a rabies shot after being bitten.
Shingles Vaccine
You are deferred for four weeks from the date you receive the shingles vaccine.
Soriatane
You cannot donate blood while taking Soriatane. You may donate three years from the date of your final dose.
Syphilis
You will be deferred for one year from the date of your final treatment for syphilis.
Tattoos
You are deferred for one year from the date of receiving a tattoo.
Tegison
You are permanently deferred from donating blood if you have ever taken Tegison.
Thyroid Medications
Thyroid medications do not affect your ability to donate blood.
vCJD (the human version of mad cow disease)
You are permanently deferred from donating blood if you have a blood relative who has been diagnosed with vCJD.
You are also permanently deferred if you have resided in countries where the risk of contracting vCJD is higher. For more information, view a list of vCJD Risk Areas.
Warfarin
You cannot donate blood while taking Warfarin. If you have ever taken Warfarin, please stop by the Blood Center to be evaluated on an individual basis.
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