Blood Donor Selection Guidelines
1. These are guidelines
only. If in doubt, consult. 2. These guidelines refer to the
donation of blood. 3. Suitability for transfusion depends
on the results of the screening tests.
SITUATION |
ACTION |
ACCIDENTS &
INJURIES |
Accept if well and not undergoing any
treatment. |
ACUPUNCTURE |
See exposure to blood borne infection |
AGE |
18 ? 60 years |
ALCOHOL |
Defer if under the influence. If this happens twice
debar. Defer if the donor has consumed alcohol in the last 12
hours. |
ALLERGIES |
Defer if severe. Accept if mild and requiring no
treatment |
ANAEMIA |
Defer. Ascertain reason for anaemia. If past history of iron
deficiency anaemia due to bleeding (e.g. Piles, dub, etc.) Which has
now stopped ? accept(see also: bleeding,blood tests, Blood
transfusion, iron deficiency ) See
haemoglobin |
ANGINA |
See heart conditions |
ARTHRITIS |
Accept if mild and not on regular
treatment |
ASTHMA |
Accept if mild. Debar if severe and requires treatment
regularly. |
BACK PAIN |
As for arthritis |
BLEEDING |
Defer and seek further information. If bleeding is due to a
congenital haemostatic defect, malignancy or bone marrow failure ?
debar. If due to a local, correctable, temporary defect, which has
ceased ? accept. |
BLOOD DONATION |
Accept if atleast 3 months have elapsed since the last
donation |
BLOOD PRESSURE |
Range 160/90 to 110/70 and not recently ( in the last 2
month) started on any antihypertensive
medication |
BLOOD TESTS |
If in the last 6 months ? defer 3 months |
BLOOD TX |
Defer one year |
BREAST LUMP/BX |
Debar |
BRONCHITIS |
Defer until well and off treatment for atleast 4
weeks |
CANCER |
Debar |
CHICKEN POX |
Defer till 4 weeks after recovery.
Chicken pox contact ?
defer for 4 weeks if donor has not previously had chicken
pox |
CHOLESTEROL |
Accept if < 200 mg / dl on diet control. Debar if on
treatment. |
COLD SORES |
Defer until resolved and off all
treatment |
COLDS |
Accept when fully recovered and off all treatment for at
least one week |
COLITIS |
Debar |
COLOSTOMY |
Debar |
COUGHS |
Accept when fully recovered and off all treatment for at
least one week |
DEMENTIA |
Debar |
DENGUE |
Defer for 4 weeks till after full
recovery |
DENTAL TREATMENT |
Defer 7 days for minor procedures (e.g. scaling, extraction)
under la. defer 1 month for extraction under ga. defer 3 months for
more complicated procedures. |
DEPRESSION |
Defer until well and off treatment |
DERMATITIS |
Accept if mild and not involving venepuncture site. Defer if
severe or requiring treatment |
DIABETES |
Accept if otherwise well (no complications) and controlled
on diet only. Defer if there are complications or if treatment is
required (tablets or insulin) |
DIARRHOEA |
Defer for 2 weeks till after full
recovery |
DOCTOR, VISIT TO |
Defer for 4 weeks if last visit within the last month.
Ascertain reason |
DRUG ABUSE |
Debar |
DYSENTERY |
As for diarrhoea |
EAR COMPLAINTS |
If infection or ear ache, defer till full
recovery |
EAR PIERCING |
See exposure to blood-borne infection |
ECZEMA |
See dermatitis |
ELECTROLYSIS |
See exposure to blood borne infection |
EMPHYSEMA |
Debar |
ENDOMETRIOSIS |
Defer if on treatment |
EPILEPSY |
Accept if the only fits occurred below the age of 5 years.
Otherwise debar |
EXPOSURE TO BLOOD BORNE INFECTION |
E.g. Blood transfusion, tattoos, ear piercing, electrolysis,
injections ? Defer 1 year |
EYE DISEASE |
Defer till eye complaint has settled and does not require
any treatment. Patients with stable eye disorders, not requiring any
specific treatment and who are otherwise well can be
accepted |
FAINTING |
Debar if faints occur on 2 consecutive
occasions |
FEVER |
If fever has lasted for more than 2 weeks, defer for 3
months and ascertain cause. Accept if fever was of short duration
and donor is now well. |
FILARIASIS |
Debar |
FOOD POISONING |
Defer until well and for atleast 7 days after completion of
treatment |
FRACTURE |
See accidents and injuries |
FUNGAL INFECTION |
Accept if dermatophyte (skin) infection requiring local
treatment only and if venepuncture site is not
involved |
GALL STONES |
Accept if asymptomatic and not on any specific
treatment |
GASTROENTERITIS |
As for food poisoning |
GENITAL HERPES |
Defer till well and off treatment for 4
weeks |
GLANDULAR FEVER |
See infectious mononucleosis |
GONORRHOEA |
Debar |
GOUT |
Debar |
GROWTH HORMONE INJECTIONS (HUMAN) |
Debar |
HAEMATURIA |
See bleeding |
HAEMOGLOBIN |
Accept if Hb IS 12.5 g/dl or more or if
donor Blood passes the standard copper sulphate test. See
Anaemia |
HAEMOPHILIA |
See bleeding |
HAEMORRHOIDS |
See bleeding |
HAZARDOUS WORK OR HOBBY |
Defer if donor is going to be incharge of a public or
transport vehicle or if the job involves climbing to heights,
working with electricity or dangerous machinery in the 12 hrs
following donation |
HEADACHES |
Accept if currently well, occassional, not severe, and not
requiring any specific
treatment |
HEART CONDITIONS |
- Any arrythmia other
than sinus tachycardia, sinus bradycardia ? debar. In the case of
sinus tachycardia and bradycardia ? defer, seek more information
and decide according to the aetiology
- History of cardiac
failure ? debar
- History of ischaemic
heart diseases ? debar
- History of rheumatic
fever with no sequelae ? accept
- History of
symptomatic valvular heart disease ? debar
- History of mild
congenital heart disease (e.g. Small, asymptomatic vsd or
surgically corrected pda) ? Accept
- Other congenital
heart disease - debar
- History of pulmonary
heart disease ? debar
- History of
thromboembolic disease ? debar
- History of heart
surgery - debar
|
HEIGHT |
Accept if 5 feet or more |
HEPATITIS |
Accept if 12 months after full recovery |
HEPATITIS CONTACT |
Defer 12 months if close contact |
HOMOSEXUAL OR BISEXUAL |
Debar |
INF.
MONONUCLEOSIS |
Defer 2 years till after full recovery |
INFLUENZA |
Defer 4 weeks after full recovery |
INTERMITTENT CLAUDICATION |
Debar |
IRON DEFICIENCY |
Defer if symptomatic or currently on treatment. Also see
bleeding |
ITP |
Debar |
JAUNDICE |
Defer 12 months after full recovery |
KALA AZAR |
Debar |
KIDNEY DISEASE |
- History of nephrotic
syndrome ? debar (unless in childhood and in
remission)
- History of nephritic
syndrome ? debar
- History of lower
urinary tract infection ? accept if well and off treatment for 4
weeks
- History of renal
calculi ? accept if asymptomatic
- History of dialysis ?
defer 12 months
|
KIDNEY DONOR |
See operation, major, blood tx., Medications
etc. |
LARYNGITIS |
Defer till well and off treatment for 4 weeks. Debar if
persistent |
LEPROSY |
Defer for 2 years after completing
treatment |
LEPTOSPIROSIS |
Defer for 6 months |
LYMPHADENOPATHY |
Defer 6 months and seek further
information |
LYMPHOGRANULOMA VENEREUM |
Debar |
MALARIA |
Defer for 6 months |
MALIGNANCY |
Debar |
MASTECTOMY |
Debar |
MEASLES |
Defer till 4 weeks after full
recovery. If measles contact, defer 4 weeks if donor has not
previously had measles. |
MEDICATIONS |
Allopurinol |
Debar |
Antacids |
Accept if not for a definite
ulcer |
|
Antianginals |
Defer |
Antibiotics |
Defer 4 weeks |
Anticoagulants |
Defer |
Anticonvulsants |
Defer |
Antidiarrhoeals |
Accept if none taken in the last 48 hrs |
Antiemetics |
Accept if none taken in the last 48 hrs |
Antihistaminics |
Accept if none taken in the last 48 hrs |
Antihypertensives |
Defer |
Antiarrhythmics |
Defer |
Antithyroid
drugs |
Accept if not taken in the last 7 days |
Anti viral, anti-tubercular,
anti-protozoal, anti fungal |
Defer 4 weeks |
Aspirin and
nsaids |
Accept if not taken in the last 4 days |
Bronchodilators |
Accept if none taken in the last 4-8 hrs |
Corticosteroids |
Accept if a skin cream. Otherwise defer |
Diuretics |
Defer |
Eye and ear
drops |
Accept if asymptomatic |
Finasteride |
Defer 1 month after last dose |
Hormone replacement
therapy |
Accept |
Insulin and oral anti-diabetic
agents |
Defer |
Immunosuppresives |
Defer |
Iron tablets |
Defer |
Paracetamol |
Accept |
Retinoic acid
(for
acne) |
Defer 1 month after last dose |
Sedatives and
anxiolytics |
Accept if not used regularly |
Thyroxine |
Accept |
Vitamins |
Accept if multi- vitamin tablets or vitamin c taken as self
medication. Other wise, defer |
MENINGITIS |
Defer till well and off treatment
for atleast 3 months |
MIGRANE |
Accept if currently well. Defer
if attacks are severe, frequent or require
treatment |
MISCARRIAGE/ MEDICAL TERMINATION
OF PREGNANCY |
Defer 1 year if gestation 6
months or more, 6 months if gestation less than 6
months |
MULTIPLE
SCLEROSIS |
Debar |
MUMPS |
As for
measles |
MUSCULAR
DYSTROPHY |
Debar |
NEUROFIBROMATOSIS |
Accept |
OCCUPATION |
See harzadous
work/hobbies |
OEDEMA |
Defer 6 months and seek further
information |
OPERATION, MAJOR |
Defer 6 months after
discharge |
OPERATION, MINOR |
Defer 3 months after
discharge |
ORGAN OR TISSUE
TRANSPLANT |
Defer 1 year |
OSTEOMYELITIS |
Defer till well and off treatment
for atleast 3 months |
OVARIAN DISEASE |
Defer 6 months and seek further
information |
PEPTIC ULCER
DISEASE |
Debar if endoscopically confirmed
ulcer. Defer if symptomatic |
PERIODS |
Accept |
PHARYNGITIS |
Defer till well and off treatment
for atleast 4 weeks |
PHLEBITIS |
Defer till well and off treatment
for atleast 4 weeks |
PNEUMONIA |
Defer till well and off treatment
for atleast 1 month |
PNEUMOTHORAX |
Defer 6 months and seek more
information |
PREGNANCY |
Defer during and for 1 year after
delivery |
PROSTATE DISEASE |
Debar |
PSORIASIS |
Accept if mild. Defer if severe,
requiring systemic treatment or affecting venepuncture
site |
PULMONARY
EMBOLISM |
See thromboembolic
disease |
RAYNAND?S
SYNDROME |
Defer 6 months and seek more
information |
RHEUMATIC FEVER |
See heart
disease |
SARCOIDOSIS |
Debar |
SHAVED HEAD |
See tonsure |
SHINGLES |
Defer till well and off treatment
for 1 month |
SICKLE CELL
DISEASE |
Debar |
SICKLE CELL
TRAIT |
Accept (plasma and platelets
only) |
SINUSITIS |
Defer till well and off treatment
for 1 month |
SKIN INFECTION |
Defer till well and off treatment
for 4 weeks |
SMOKER |
Accept |
SORE THROAT |
See
pharyngitis |
SPONDYLOSIS |
Accept if currently well and not
on any specific treatment |
STROKE |
Debar |
SYPHILIS |
Debar |
TATTOO |
See exposure to blood-borne
infection |
THALASSAEMIA
TRAIT |
Accept for plasma fractions
only |
THYROID DISEASE |
Hypothyroid: Accept if well and
euthyroid on thyroxine for 6 months
Hyperthyroid: Defer
until euthyroid for 6 months |
TONSURE (i.e shaved head) e.g. at
Tirupati |
See exposure to blood-borne
infection |
TOXOPLASMOSIS |
Debar |
TUBERCULOSIS |
Defer till well and off treatment
for 2 years |
TUBERCULOSIS
CONTACT |
Accept if
well |
TYPHOID |
Defer until well and off
treatment for 3 months |
URETHITIS |
Debar |
URINARY TRACT
INFECTION |
Defer until well and off
treatment for 4 weeks |
VACCINATION |
Vaccination and immunization:
Defer 3 days if killed
vaccine, toxoid or antitoxin. Defer 3 weeks if live vaccine or
immunoglobulin for passive immunization.
Killed
vaccines
- Rabies (e.g. Rabies
vaccine*, hdc; rabipur, verorab, verovax ? r)
- Tetanus (e.g.
Tetanus, toxoid, various preparations)
- Pneumococcus (e.g.
Pneumo 23)
- Hepatitis b (e.g.
Engerix b, enivac hb, heppacine - b, hepavax ? b, shanvac ?
b)
- Meningococcus (e.g.
Mencevax a & c)
- Typhoid (e.g.
Typhivax, typhoral, vactyph)
- Cholera (e.g. Cholera
vaccine, haffkine)
- Diptheria and tetanus
(e.g. Double antigen, bengal immunity)
* for rabies
vaccination after an animal bite defer one
yearLive vaccines
- Polio
(opv)
- Bcg
- Measles, mumps,
rubella (e.g. Tresivac, trimovax)
- Yellow
fever
Antitoxins e.g. Tetanus antitoxin, diphtheria antitoxin,
anti snake venom
Immunoglobulins for
passive immunization: e.g. Tetanus immunoglobulin, rabies
immuno-globulin, human normal immunoglobulin, iv immunoblobulin,
anti-d immunoglobulin
Note: in the case of
hepatitis b immunoglobulin,- defer 1
year |
VIRUS INFECTION |
Defer until well and off treatment for
At least one
month |
VITILIGO |
Debar |
VOMITING |
Defer untill well |
WARTS |
Accept if localised, not affecting venepuncture site and on
local treatment only |
WEIGHT |
Minimum Acceptable weight is 45 Kg |
WEIGHT LOSS |
If more than 2 kg in the preceding month (unless due to
dieting), defer 6 months and seek more
information |
WORM INFESTATION |
Defer till well and there is no evidence of worm
infestation |


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