Donor Health Conditions
Contact our Donor Notification Department by phone at 817-412-5603 or 1-888-480-8200 or email dn@carterbloodcare.org if your condition is not listed or if you would like clarification about your eligibility based on your specific diagnosis or issue.
Most health conditions are acceptable for donation with the following exceptions:
Cancer
Skin cancers
- Basal cell and squamous cell: Eligible after removal
- Malignant melanoma: No donating during diagnosis or treatment. Defer for 2 years following end of treatment.
Cancer solid tumors
- Including breast, colon, lung, liver, pancreas, prostrate, thyroid
- No donating during diagnosis or treatment. Defer for two years following end of treatment.
Leukemia/Lymphoma/Multiple Myeloma
- Not eligible for a history of any blood, lymphoid, or bone marrow cancers.
Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease (CJD)
This devastating disease of the central nervous system occurs in one on one million individuals. It is spread by contact with tissues from infected individuals (corneas, dura matter, brain tissue, pituitary glands). It is unknown if CJD is transmitted through blood transfusion.
It can be spread through families, so you are not eligible:
- You have a family member related by blood who died from CJD
- You have a dura mater (membrane covering the brain) transplant or graft from another person
Variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease (vCJD)
vCJD is similar to CJD, but associated with eating beef from cattle infected with mad cow disease. It can also be spread by transfusion from infected individuals. You are considered at risk for vCJD and are not eligible if you lived in the following areas:
1980 through 1996
- You spent time that adds up to three months or more in the United Kingdom including England, Northern Ireland, Wales, Scotland, Gibraltar, the Isle of Man, the Channel Islands, and Falkland Islands.
1980 through 2001
- You spent time that adds up to five years or more in France or Ireland. Time spent in Ireland does not include time spent in Northern Ireland, which is part of the United Kingdom.
1980 to the present
- You received a blood or blood product transfusion in France, Ireland, or the United Kingdom including England, Northern Ireland, Scotland, Wales, the Isle of Man, the Channel Islands, Gibraltar, or the Falkland Islands.
Exposure Risk
The following may put you at risk for blood or body fluid exposure and can increase your risk of HIV and/or hepatitis B and C.
There is a three month deferral for a history of:
- Accidental needle stick with needle used by or on another person
- Exposure to another person’s blood in a cut, sore, wound, or on mucous membranes
- A tattoo at an unregulated state facility or in jail/prison
- Ear or body piercing at an unregulated facility
- New diagnosis of syphilis or gonorrhea
- Partner with HIV/AIDS or HIV risk
- Partner or prostitute who takes money or drugs in exchange for sex
- Males who have had sexual contact with another male
- Females who have had sexual contact with a male who has had sexual contact with another male
- You have received money or drugs in exchange for sex
- You have used a needle to take a drug or steroids not prescribed by a physician
There is a 12 month deferral for a history of:
- Partner with active hepatitis
- Jail, prison, juvenile detention center, or lock-up for more than 72 hours
Heart Disease
Not eligible for a history of:
- Congestive heart failure
- Aortic valve disease (not corrected by surgery)
- Chest pain (unexplained/not evaluated by a physician)
- Coronary artery disease with angina
- Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy
- Implanted pacemaker and/or defibrillator
- Heart attack
Hereditary Hemochromatosis
Donors with hereditary hemochromatosis may be required by their physician to donate blood as part of their treatment. If you are required to donate, contact our Donor Notification Department at 817-412-5603 or 1-888-480-8200 so that we can assist you with a simple enrollment and obtain your physician’s request.
For more information on Hereditary Hemochromatosis click here.
Infections
Not eligible for a history of:
- Active cold, diarrhea, or flu
- Babesiosis (parasite infection; found in ticks)
- Chagas disease (parasite infection; found in “Kissing Bugs”)
- Hepatitis B
- Hepatitis C
- HIV/AIDS
- Malaria (parasite infection; found in mosquitos) in the past three years or untreated
- Syphilis (eligible 12 months after treatment, but your blood may continue to test positive)
Lung Disease
Not eligible for a history of:
- Active tuberculosis (TB) with treatment
- Asthma with symptoms on the day of donation
- COPD and on oxygen
- Emphysema and on oxygen
- Other active lung infections
Medications
Most medications are acceptable for donation. The following are the most common medications that cause a deferral.
DO NOT discontinue medications without consulting your physician.
Antibiotics for treatment of current infection
The infection is the risk, not the medication. Do not stop taking any medication to become eligible to donate. You must finish the entire dose of antibiotic and be free of symptoms before you can donate.
Topical (surface) treatments are acceptable (such as acne or toenail fungus).
There is a seven day deferral for:
- Heparin (Fragmin® or Lovenox®)
- Taken for blood clots.
- Thrombin Inhibitors (Dabigatran®)
- Taken for blood clots.
- Warfarin (Coumadin® or Jantoven® or Warfilone®)
- Taken for blood clots.
There is a one month deferral for:
- Finasteride (Proscar® or Propecia ® or Propecia ProPak®)
- Taken for prostate enlargement /hair loss.
- Isotretinoin (Absorica® or Accutane® or Amnesteem® or Claravis® or Myorisan® or Sotret® or Zenatane® )
- Taken for severe acne.
There is a six month deferral for:
- Dutasteride (Avodart® or Jalyn®)
- Taken for prostate enlargement.
There is a 12 month deferral for:
- Hepatitis B Immune Globulin
- Given for exposure to hepatitis B.
There is a two year deferral for:
- Teriflunomide (Aubagio®)
- Taken for relapsing forms of multiple sclerosis.
- Vismodeyib (Erivedge®)
- Taken for skin cancers.
There is a three year deferral for:
- Acitretin (Soriatane ®)
- Taken for severe psoriasis.
You are not eligible to donate if you have taken:
- Etretinate (Tegison®)
- An oral/pill medication given for severe psoriasis.
Platelet donors and medications
Aspirin and medications that contain aspirin require between a two day and 14 day deferral period.
Pregnancy
Cannot donate during pregnancy or six weeks following pregnancy.
Testosterone Therapy
Donors on testosterone therapy may be required by their physician to donate blood as part of their treatment. If you are required to donate, please contact our Donor Notification Department at 817-412-5603 or 1-888-480-8200 so that we can assist you with a simple enrollment and obtain your physician’s request.
For more information on Testosterone Therapy click here.
Transfusion or Transplant
- Not eligible for three months if you received a blood transfusion or other blood products, such as plasma or platelets.
- Not eligible for three months if you received a graft or transplant (from another person) of organ, bone marrow, cornea, or other tissue.
- Not eligible for a history of a dura mater (membrane covering the brain) transplant or graft.
- Not eligible for a history of a transplant or medical procedure where live cells, tissue, or organs are from an animal.
- Porcine [pig] heart valve replacement is acceptable.
- Eligible if a synthetic lens implant.
Travel – Malaria Risk
If you have traveled outside the United States in the last three years, you may be at risk for malaria. Do not rely on whether or not you were advised to take anti-malarial medications to determine your risk. Some tour operators are not pro-active at telling guests that they are going to a malaria endemic area. You are not eligible for three months from the date of departure from a malaria risk area.
Persons who resided in an endemic area may develop a partial immunity to malaria that can blunt symptoms of malaria and delay diagnosis. If you are an individual who used to live in a malaria risk area before coming to the United States, you will have to wait three years before donating. Any travel to a malaria risk area in those three years will require a new three year deferral from the last malaria risk travel date.
Please contact our Donor Notification Department at 817-412-5603 or 1-888-480-8200 to see if the country or area you went to or are from is considered a malaria risk.
Vaccines
There is a two week deferral for:
- Hepatitis B
- Engerix-B®/Recombivax®
- Measles/Rubeola:
- Attenuvax®
- Mumps
- Polio (oral):
- Orimune®
- Typhoid (oral)
- Yellow fever:
- YF-Vax®
There is a four week deferral for:
- Chicken pox/Varicella
- Varivax®
- German measles/Rubella
- Meruvax II®
- Measles, Mumps & Rubella (MMR)
- Shingles
- Zostavax®
There is an eight week deferral for:
- Smallpox
There is a 12 month deferral for:
- Hepatitis B immune globulin (HBIG)
- this medication only administered after suspected exposure to hepatitis B. Do not get confused with the hepatitis B vaccine.
- Unlicensed vaccine
Click here to check other blood donation requirements.
Contact our Donor Notification Department at 817-412-5603 or 1-888-480-8200 if your condition is not listed or if you would like clarification about your eligibility based on your specific diagnosis or issue.