Hereditary Hemochromatosis (HH)

What Is Hereditary Hemochromatosis?

Hereditary hemochromatosis (HH) is an inherited disorder in which the body’s iron reserves are improperly metabolized and excess levels are deposited in the tissues. Many HH patients are treated by undergoing blood withdrawals for the purpose of reducing iron overload. Only patients genetically tested and diagnosed with the hereditary form of hemochromatosis qualify for this program.

How does the program work?

Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regulations allow HH patients to donate blood without an associated fee and more often than other blood donors, if necessary. If all donor eligibility criteria and safety regulations are met, the FDA also allows blood from those diagnosed with HH to be sent to hospitals for transfusion purposes.

There are two types of blood draws in this program: allogeneic or therapeutic. Allogeneic means that your blood can be used for transfusion to a hospital patient, while therapeutic means that your blood is not used for transfusion purposes.

Are You Eligible?

Please take a moment to check your eligibility to be an allogeneic blood donor.

Enrollment Process

To begin enrollment, your physician must complete and submit an Enrollment/Prescription for Phlebotomy Form by email, fax, or mail before your first appointment. Your enrollment will be valid for one year and may be renewed annually. Please also use this form to renew or update an existing enrollment.

The form must be completed in full. Do not alter or add to the form, as this may delay processing.

You may complete the patient section and send the form to your physician for signature, or have your physician submit a completed form directly to the Donor Notification Department at Carter BloodCare.

Once the form is received, you will be notified by mail or email that enrollment is complete. PHLEBOTOMY SERVICES ARE PROVIDED AT NO CHARGE TO YOU. If you become ineligible, deferred, or do not wish for your blood to be used for transfusion, contact Donor Notification to update your account.

This is a donor-driven program. You and your physician determine when phlebotomy is needed. If the form indicates you can be drawn every two weeks, this establishes a minimum 14-day interval between procedures. It does not require you to donate every two weeks.

You are responsible for scheduling appointments as directed by your physician. Carter BloodCare does not monitor frequency beyond the minimum 14-day interval between phlebotomies. Donations may be scheduled at a Carter BloodCare Donor Center or at a mobile drive. Please note that only donors eligible for allogenic donation may be drawn at mobile drives; therapeutic draws will be directed to a Carter BloodCare Donor Center.

Some cardiac or lung issues may exclude you from being drawn at Carter BloodCare. If you have a history of cardiac and/or lung conditions, cancer, or infectious disease (including HIV), please contact Donor Notification by phone or email.

Contact Information: Donor Notification can be reached weekdays 9:00 AM–5:30 PM by phone at (817) 412-5603, fax at (817) 417-5609, or email at dn@carterbloodcare.org.

1. Enrollment/Prescription for Phlebotomy Form
2. Complete the Patient information section by typing in the information
3. Print/save the form with patient information completed
4. Scan and email to your physician or take a hard copy to your physician for signature
5. Submit completed forms to dn@carterbloodcare.org or fax to (817) 412-5609.