Medications

The following are the most common medications and medical conditions that may impact your eligibility to donate:

Antibiotics if taken to treat a current infection

• You must finish the entire course of antibiotics and be free of symptoms before you donate.
• Topical antibiotics for acne and toenail fungus are acceptable

Anticoagulants or “blood thinners,” usually taken to prevent strokes and blood clots in the legs and lungs.

There is a two-day deferral when donating plasma only for:

• Arixtra® also known as fondaparinux
• Eliiquis® also known as apixaban
• Fragmin® also known as dalteparin
• Lovenox® also known as enoxaparin
• Pradaxa® also known as dabigatran
• Savaysa® also known as edoxaban
• Xarelto® also known as rivaroxaban

There is a seven-day deferral when donating plasma only for:

• Coumadin® or Jantoven® or Warfilone® (these are also known as warfarin)

There is a seven-day deferral for:

• Heparin

Acne treatment

There is a one-month deferral for:

• Absorica® or Accutane® or Amnesteem® or Claravis® or Myorisan® or Sotret® or Zenatane® (these are also known as isotretinoin)

Basal cell skin cancer

There is a two-year deferral for:

• Erivedge® also known as vismodegib
• Odomzo® also known as sonidegib

Hair loss remedy

There is a one-month deferral for:

• Propecia ® or Propecia ProPak® also known as finasteride

Hepatitis exposure

There is a three-month deferral for:

• Hepatitis B Immune Globulin (HBIG)

HIV Prevention

There is a three-month deferral for:

• Pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) taken orally
• Descovy® also known as emtricitabine
• Isentress® also known as raltegravir
• Truvada® also known as tenofovir
• Tivicay® also known as dolutegravir

There is a two-year deferral for:

• Pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) by injection
• Apretude® also known as cabotegravir
• Yeztugo® also known as lenacapavir

HIV Treatment

You are ineligible to donate if you have ever taken:

• Antiretroviral therapy for HIV

Immunosuppressant

There is a six-week deferral for:

• Cellcept® also known as mycophenolate mofetil
• Myfortic® also known as mycophenolic Acid

Multiple myeloma

There is a one-month deferral for:

• Thalidomid® also known as thalidomide

Multiple sclerosis (relapsing)

There is a two-year deferral for:

• Aubagio® also known as teriflunomide

Prostate symptoms

There is a six-month deferral for:

• Avodart® or Jalyn® (these are also known as dutasteride)

There is a one-month deferral for:

• Proscar® also known as finasteride

Psoriasis

There is a three-year deferral for:

• Soriatane® also known as acitretin

You are not eligible to donate if you have taken:

• Tegison® also known as etretinate

Rheumatoid arthritis

There is a two-year deferral for:

• Arava® also known as leflunomide

There is a one-month deferral for:

• Rinvoq® also known as Upadacitinib

Medications Summary

There is a two-day deferral when donating plasma for:

• Apixaban (Eliquis®)
• Dabigatran (Pradaxa®)
• Dalteparin (Fragmin®)
• Enoxaparin (Lovenox®)
• Edoxaban (Savaysa®)
• Fondaparinux (Arixtra®)
• Rivaroxaban (Xarelto®)

There is a seven-day deferral for:

• Heparin
• Warfarin (Coumadin® or Jantoven® or Warfilone®) for plasma donations only

There is a one-month deferral for:

• Finasteride (Proscar® or Propecia ® or Propecia ProPak®)
• Hepatitis B Immune Globulin (HBIG)
• Isotretinoin (Absorica® or Accutane® or Amnesteem® or Claravis® or Myorisan® or Sotret® or Zenatane®)
• Thalidomide (Thalidomid®)
• Upadacitinib (Rinvoq®)

There is a six-week deferral for:

• Mycophenolate mofetil (Cellcept®)
• Mycophenolic Acid (Myfortic)

There is a three-month deferral for:

• Dolutegravir (Tivicay®)
• Emtricitabine (Descovy®)
• Pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) taken orally
• Raltegravir (Isentress®)
• Tenofovir, emtricitabine, dolutegravir or raltegravir (Truvada®)

There is a six-month deferral for:

• Dutasteride (Avodart® or Jalyn®)

There is a two-year deferral for:

• Cabotegravir (Apretude®)
• Leflunomide (Arava®)
• Lenacapavir (Yeztugo®)
• Pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) by injection (Apretude®)
• Sonidegib (Odomzo®)
• Teriflunomide (Aubagio®)
• Vismodegib (Erivedge®)

There is a three-year deferral for:

• Acitretin (Soriatane ®)

You are not eligible to donate if you have taken:

• Antiretroviral therapy for HIV
• Etretinate (Tegison®)

If your condition is not listed, or if you have questions regarding your eligibility to donate blood based on your specific diagnosis, contact Donor Notification at 817-412-5603 or DN@carterbloodcare.org.

Do not stop taking medications prescribed or recommended by your physician in order to donate blood.