DONOR ELIGIBILITY

• Age
  At least 17 years of age and in good general health. There is no upper age limit.
• Weight
  Minimum of 110 pounds
• Medications
  Cannot donate if taking accutane, propecia, proscar or avodart. Must have completed course of antibiotics 1-7 days (depending on antibiotic) before donating. OK to give if taking aspirin or ibuprofen (except if giving platelets), antihistamines, hormones, birth control pills, blood pressure, cholesterol, anti-depressants, thyroid, vitamins and many other medications. Prophylactic antibiotics for acne are OK.
• Eating
  Eat a healthy meal with 4 hours of donation
• Drinking
  Drink plenty of water or juice before and after donating. Avoid alcoholic beverages for 12 hours before and after donating
• Shots
  OK after flu vaccine, hepatitis A vaccine, tetanus, DPT, polio.
• Cancer
  OK to donate after curative treatment for basal cell or squamous cell skin cancer and carcinoma-in-situ of cervix. For most cancers it is OK to give 5 years after completion of all treatment. Exceptions are noted in Indefinite Disqualifications. Breast cancer survivors may donate 10 years after completion of treatment.
• Diabetes
  OK if controlled by insulin, oral medication or diet. Exception is bovine (beef) insulin injected at any time since 1980.
• Epilepsy
  OK to donate if controlled with medication and seizure-free for past six months
• Asthma
  OK if asymptomatic and on normal medications. Defer if symptomatic or if requires oral steroids for management

Temporary Disqualifications (Deferrals)

• Cold/Don’t feel well
  Symptom free for 72 hours
• Teeth Cleaning and Fillings
  Defer 24 hours
• Oral Surgery, Root Canal, Tooth Extraction
  Defer 72 hours
• Flu
  Symptom free for 72 hours
• Nausea, Vomiting, Diarrhea
  Ok if symptom free
• Pregnancy, Miscarriage or Abortion
  Ok to donate after six weeks
• Ear or Body Piercing
  Wait 2 weeks if done in a facility licensed by the State of Texas with a sterile, single-use kit
• Tattoo
  Wait 2 weeks if done in a facility licensed by the State of Texas with a sterile, single-use kit
• Surgery
  Six weeks post-op if released from doctor's care, feels well, and full activity has been resumed.
• Blood Transfusion or Tissue Transplant
  Wait 1 year
• Last Blood Donation
  8 weeks between whole blood donations, 16 weeks between double red cell donations, 72 hours between platelet donations

Indefinite Disqualifications (Deferrals)

• AIDS/HIV infection or exposure risk factors
• History of illicit or IV drug use, including steroids
• Human growth hormone injections prior to 1980
• Viral hepatitis after age 11
• Leukemia, lymphoma, melanoma
• Multiple Sclerosis
• Diabetic who ever took bovine (beef) insulin injections
• Residence on U.S. Military bases in the following countries:
  Germany, United Kingdom, Belgium, the Netherlands, Greece, Turkey, Spain, Portugal and Italy for 6 months (cumulative) between 1980-1996
• More than 3 months (90 days) spent (cumulative) in the United Kingdom between 1980-1996
• More than 5 years spent (cumulative) in Europe (including the U.K.) from 1980-1996

Before and After Donating

• Before
  Get a good night's sleep and eat a hearty meal before donating. Avoid nicotine in the hour before donating. If your blood tends to be low in iron, start adding iron-rich foods to your diet. These include meats (especially red meat and liver), fish and eggs. Some iron can be gained by eating beans, grains, nuts, dried fruit and dark green vegetables. Avoid beverages which contain caffeine, as they interfere with iron entering the body.
• After
  Avoid nicotine for 30 minutes after donating. Drink plenty of fluids and avoid alcohol for the rest of the day, if possible.