Am I Eligible?

General Requirements

Click here to download “Blood Donation on the Fast Track” (English)

Click here to download “Blood Donation on the Fast Track” (Spanish)

• Age: 17 (16 year-olds can donate with written permission of parent or guardian).
• Weight: At least 110 pounds (different requirements for 16-22-year-olds, please call 1-888-393-GIVE).
• Diet: A well-balanced meal is recommended within four hours of donation.
• Health: General good health
• Identification: Valid identification such as a driver’s license, DMV identification card, passport, etc.

Do not donate if any of the following apply to you:

• AIDS: You are a person with symptoms or laboratory evidence of HIV infection.
• Cancer: Hematological, ie: Hodgkin, Leukemia, Lymphomas.
• Hepatitis: A history of the disease after the age of 11, or a positive lab test for the virus.
• Organ Failure: Kidney, lung or liver failure.
• Recreational Drug Use (by injection): Having injected yourself with drugs not prescribed by a physician.
• United Kingdom: You have visited or lived in England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland, Isle of Man, Channel Islands, Gibraltar or Falkland Islands for a total of 3 months or more from 1980 thru 1996.
• European Countries: If you have spent a cumulative of 5 years or more since 1980.
• U.S. Military/Dependents/Civilian Military Employee: If you are U.S. Military / Dependent / Civilian Military Employee who spent a cumulative of six months or more between 1980 thru 1996 associated with a military base in Spain, Portugal, Turkey, Italy or Greece, and/or 1980 thru 1990 in Belgium, the Netherlands, Germany.
• Travel: Travel to certain countries may temporarily restrict you from donating blood. Please call 1-888-393-GIVE to learn more.

Sexual History

• You are a man who has had sex with another man since 1977.
• You have engaged in sex for money or drugs since 1977.

Questions About Eligibility

You may need to wait before donating blood if you have any of these conditions:

Condition
Allergy	No Wait
Abortion/Miscarriage	No Wait
Acupuncture	Can donate if single-use equipment is used
Alcohol Consumption	No wait unless intoxicated
Anemia (past diagnosis)	No wait if corrected
Blood Donation, Apheresis	48 Hours
Blood Donation, Whole	8 Weeks
Cancer, treated surgically with radiation or chemotherapy, except for hematological cancers	1 Year (except basal and squamous cell, if cancer removed)
Cold	No wait if no sore throat or fever
Cough	No wait if no sore throat or fever
Sore Throat	Until well, no symptoms
Diabetes	No wait if medically controlled
Ear and Body Piercing	See Acupuncture
Electrolysis	See Acupuncture
Gonorrhea	1 Year after treatment is completed
Heart Disease - Angina or Heart Attack (M.I., No Heart Medication)	3 month wait if asymptomatic and no activity restrictions
Heart Disease - Angioplasty or Bypass Surgery (No Heart Medication)	3 month wait if asymptomatic and no activity restrictions
Hepatitis Contact	Depends on Type
Herpes	Free of Fever/Systemic Symptoms
High Blood Pressure	No Wait if Medically Controlled
Malaria	Permanently Deferred
Immigration from Malarial Area	3 Years
Travel to Malarial Area	1 Year
Pregnancy	6 Week Wait After Delivery
Recent Surgery	When Released from MD’s Care
Syphilis	1 Year after treatment is complete
Tattoo	1 Year
Immunization/Vaccines (Shots)
Flu/Pneumonia Vaccine	No Wait
MMR	4 Weeks
Rubeola (Measles), Yellow Fever, Mumps and Oral Polio	2 Weeks
Rubella (German Measles)	4 Weeks
Hepatitis A	No Wait
Hepatitis B	7 day wait
TB Skin Test	48 Hours
Tetanus, Diphtheria, Typhoid (injection) and Cholera	No Wait
Typhoid (oral)	14 days
Varicella (Chicken Pox)	4 Weeks
Allergy Shots	No Wait
Medications
Accutane	1 Month
Allergy Medications	No Wait
Antibiotics	One Day After Last Dose, symptom-free
Flagyl	No Wait
High Blood Pressure Medicine	No Wait
Oral Contraceptives	No Wait
Propecia	1 Month
Proscar	1 Month
Tegison (for Psoriasis)	Permanently Deferred
Tetracycline for Acne	No Wait
Vitamins	No Wait