BASIC REQUIREMENTS FOR BLOOD DONATORS
Be in generally good health and feeling well.
Be at least 17 years of age; upper age 60 (420d*).
Weigh at least 110 pounds (45 kg).
Pulse: 80 to 100 beats/min and regular.
Temperature: Should not exceed 99.5 (37.5c).
Blood Pressure: acceptable range is 160/90 to 110/60.
Skin: the venipuncture site should be free of any lesion or scar of needle pricks indicative of addiction to narcotics or frequent Blood donation (as in the case of professional Blood donors).
DONATION FREQUENCY (may vary)
Whole Blood donors may donate every 56 days.
Plasma donors may donate twice a week (max. every 48 hours.)
Platelet donors may donate a maximum of 24 times per year.
Other specialized donations are subject to other rules.
DO NOT DONATE BLOOD IF:
You have ever tested positive for HIV,
You have ever injected yourself with drugs or other substances not prescribed by a physician,
You are a man and have had sex with another man, even once,
You have hemophilia or another Blood clotting disorder and received clotting factor concentrate,
You have engaged in sex for drugs or money since 1977,
You have lived in western Europe since 1980,
You have been held in a correctional facility (including jails, prisons and/or detention centers) for more than 72 hours in the last 12 months,
You were born in, lived in or had sex with anyone who lived in, or received Blood products in Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Niger or Nigeria since 1977 (this list changes frequently; updates are very important) or,
You are, or have been a sexual contact of someone in the above list.
NOTE: There is a special watch for potential donors who have visited or lived in England/United Kingdom from 1980 to 1999, and those who have lived and/or worked in Western Europe since 1980.
