Donorrequirements 1.27.10.qxp

A Guide to
The Blood Center of New Jersey Donor Requirements
Please Note: This is a guide to give an overview of the health requirements most frequently asked by potential whole blood donors. These guidelines are not comprehensive and are as current as possible, but be aware that certain revisions may be made that are not listed here. The BCNJ’s main concerns are the safety of the donorand the safety of the recipient of the blood. New medical information and requirements are implemented immediately.
For more detailed questions or concerns, please call the donor services department at 800-652-5663, ext. 132 or 198. Volunteer blood donors must bring a signed or photo form of identification.
Donors must be at least 16 years of age with consent form signed by parental/guardian, weigh at least 120 pounds and be in
general good health. There is no upper age limit for donors as long as they are in good health with no medical problems.
Donors are encouraged to eat meals at usual times and drink plenty of fluids, preferably non-caffeinated, prior to donation.
Long periods without eating may cause a reaction. Individuals may make whole blood donations every 56 days (eight weeks)
as long as they meet all health requirements.
Aspirin: acceptable for whole blood donors. Apheresis Donors MUST NOT donate blood if they are HIV donors should not take aspirin or aspirin-containing med- positive or are at risk of getting and spreading the AIDS ications up to 48 hours before a donation. Tylenol is Virus. Donors will be asked to carefully review a list of risk factors with a health professional when they come Pregnancy
Basal or squamous cell skin cancer, in-situ cervical Deferral for women who are pregnant; acceptable six cancer, benign polyps/lumps all acceptable if excised weeks after delivery (even if breast feeding).
and healed. Other cancers, please check with the blood center as the deferral time for different cancersvary.
Must be released by physician following major surgery.
Deferral for 12 months if blood or blood products have Colds/Flu
been received. Uncomplicated hernia, hemorrhoid, vein Symptom free for seventy two hours after sore throat, ligation, appendix, tonsil operations and most laparoscopy productive cough, and/or fever. Acceptable: mild nasal procedures are not considered major surgery. Minor sur- stuffiness, dry cough, and allergies. Donor needs to gery is acceptable if sutures are removed, wound is state symptoms are due to allergies. No deferral for flu healed, and patient is released by physician.
Dental Work
Acceptable if performed with single use ink, single
Twenty four (24) hour deferral for cleaning/fillings/x- use needle, and in a licensed NJ facility.
rays; seventy two (72) hour deferral after completion oftooth extraction, root canal procedures and oral surgery Travel/Foreign Country Residence
Wait 12 months to donate following foreign travel to Diabetes
areas considered at risk for malaria with or withoutpreventative malarial medication. Recent immigrants Acceptable if controlled by diet, oral medication and/or from malarial countries must wait 3 years. A history of insulin if dosage is controlled and donor stable.
malaria is acceptable if there have been no symptoms Ear/Body Piercing; Acupuncture
for three years. For malarial areas, go to Acceptable if performed with single use equipment.
Heart Conditions
Indefinite deferral for visits to, or residence in, the UnitedKingdom (England, Northern Ireland, Gibraltar, Scotland, Dependent on individual evaluation. High blood pres- Wales, Isle of Man, Channel Islands or Falkland Islands) sure controlled by medication and without heart prob- for a cumulative total of 3 months from January 1, 1980 to lems is acceptable. Heart medications other than for high blood pressure are generally not acceptable. A his-tory of heart bypass, angioplasty, or valve replacement Indefinite deferral for cumulative visit of 5 years or more will be accepted if at least 6 months have passed, the donor is asymptomatic, and on no heart medications. If a member of US military, civilian military employee or a Medications
dependent of a member of the US military who spent timein Europe, please call BCNJ for eligibility guidelines.
Antibiotics: Deferral for 24 hours after course iscompleted and infection-free. Antibiotics taken prophy- If unsure, please call BCNJ for clarification on any of lactally for acne or dental work are acceptable. Accutane, Proscar, Propecia, Amnesteen, Claravis, Sotret: Deferral for at least one month from the lastdose.
Tegison (for psoriasis): permanent deferral.
Avodart: Deferral for six months.
You have symptoms of a cold, or fever. You weigh less than 120 pounds. You have traveled to a malaria-risk area within the past 12 months. You have lived or spent more than 5 years in Europe since 1980. You have spent 3 months or more in the U.K. between 1980 and 1996. You have resided at a military base in Greece, Turkey, Spain, Portugal, or Italy, for 6 months or more between the years 1980-1996. You are pregnant, or have delivered in the past 6 weeks. THE BLOOD CENTER OF NEW JERSEY
Headquarters: 45 South Grove Street, East Orange, NJ 07018 ELIGIBILITY
YOU MUST BRING PHOTO I.D. WITH YOU!
You cannot donate if you do not have your i.d.!
You must either know your Social Security Number, or
bring your passport with you!

You are NOT eligible to donate blood IF:
™ You are a native of India and have NOT lived in the
United States for 3 continuous years.
™ You have visited India (for less than six months)– you cannot donate for one full year after the date of your return to the United States.
Example: You visited India for two weeks in 2011 – you are not eligible to donate for one full year from the date of your return to the United States. ™ You have visited India – and you have stayed for six months or
longer - you cannot donate for 3 continuous years after the date of
your return to the United States.
™ You do not speak, read, and understand English.

Source: http://www.newarkmuseum.org/uploadedFiles/PDFs/BloodCenterofNJDonorRequirments.pdf