Eligibility

Donors should speak with a Bonfils representative before they decide not to donate blood. Each case will be assessed at the time of donation or by calling Bonfils’ Donor Relations department at 303.363.2202 or 800.365.0006, opt. 1.

Basic Requirements for Blood Donation:

• Must be at least 18 years of age (or 17 with written parental/guardian consent).
  The minor consent form can be found here.
• Weigh at least 110 pounds for whole blood, platelet and plasma donation. Weight requirements may differ depending on the procedure.
• Be in good general health with no history of hepatitis or HIV/AIDS.
• The donation interval after a whole blood donation is 56 days. Please contact the blood center for the specific interval for other product donations.

Nearly five million people live in Colorado and it is estimated that approximately three and a half million of them are eligible blood donors.  Most health conditions, medications and travel locations won’t make an individual ineligible to give blood so please review the following information about eligibility:

The medical guidelines listed are not all-inclusive and are subject to change.

Ambulatory Aid

For their own safety, donors using any sort of temporary ambulatory aid including crutches/walking aids, a soft or hard cast, carpel tunnel brace or sling for a recent injury cannot donate until no longer requiring this assistance.  Donors using permanent ambulatory aid may be pre-approved to donate by contacting Bonfils' Donor Relations department at 303.363.2202 or 800.365.0006, opt. 1.

Babesiosis

Donors with babesiosis are deferred for life because there is a potential for disease transmission through blood transfusion. Babesiosis is a rare parasitic disease transmitted to humans by infected deer ticks carried mainly by deer and mice that typically occurs in coastal areas in the northeast United States.  The parasite attacks the red blood cells and causes anemia.

Blood Transfusion

Donor is deferred for 12 months after a transfusion of blood or blood products.

Cancer

Chagas Disease

Donors with Chagas disease are deferred for life because there is a potential for disease transmission through blood transfusion. Chagas disease is caused by a parasite transmitted by the bite of the Reduviid Bug.  These bugs live in cracks and holes of substandard housing, primarily in South and Central America.  The symptoms of Chagas disease most commonly develop 10-20 years after one becomes infected.

Cold and Flu

Donors are not eligible if they are not feeling well and healthy the day of donation.

Diabetes

Drugs, Smoking and Alcohol

Donors must not be under the influence of drugs or alcohol at the time of donation.

Smoking is not a deferral for blood donation and we encourage donors to not smoke for at least 30 minutes after their donation.

Ear/Body Piercing

Heart Disease

Hepatitis/Hepatitis Exposure

• Donor is permanently deferred with a history of hepatitis at age 11 or older
• Donor is deferred for 12 months following hepatitis A, hepatitis B or hepatitis C exposure
• Hepatitis secondary to a disease process is acceptable

Hemochromatosis

HIV/AIDS

• Use of illegal, street drugs or steroids not prescribed by a doctor, even once
• Taking money or drugs for sex since 1977
• Male to male sexual contact, even once, since 1977
• Ongoing treatment with clotting factor concentrates for hemophilia or similar blood clotting disorders

The following risk factors represent a 12-month deferral for the donor from the date of occurrence:

• Intimate/sexual contact with any person in the above categories
• Accidental contact with another person’s blood/body fluid or an accidental needle stick
• Sexual assault/rape
• Incarceration for more than 72 consecutive hours

Leishmaniasis

Malaria

Malaria is a blood infection caused by a parasite and frequently carried by mosquitoes in certain parts of the world. It is possible to be infected with malaria and be asymptomatic.  It is also possible to have a very mild case of malaria, but feel well, especially if you have lived for extended periods of time in parts of the world where malaria is found.

Blood donations are not tested for malaria. Because there is a potential for disease transmission through blood transfusion, those who meet the following criteria are deferred for a period of time to ensure the disease is not present in your system:

• Donor is deferred for 12 months after travel to a malarial-endemic area.
• Donor is deferred three years after departure from a malarial-endemic area if he/she is an immigrant, refugee, citizen or resident of the area.  Residents are defined as having lived in an area for more than five years.

Medications

• Antibiotics – given for an active infection
• Proscar^© (finasteride) – usually given for prostate gland enlargement
• Avodart^© (dutasteride) – usually given for prostate enlargement
• Propecia^© (finasteride) – usually given for baldness
• Accutane^© (Amnesteem, Claravis, Sotret, isotretinoin) – usually given for severe acne
• Soriatane^© (acitretin) – usually given for severe psoriasis
• Tegison^© (etretinate) – usually given for severe psoriasis
• Growth hormone from human pituitary glands – used only until 1985, usually for children with delayed or impaired growth
• Coumadin (warfarin, Warfilone) – usually given for blood clots in the legs, heart or lungs
• Hepatitis B Immune Globulin – given following an exposure to hepatitis B
  (Note: This is different from the hepatitis B vaccine which is a series of three injections given over a six-month period to prevent future infection from exposures to hepatitis.

Polycythemia

Pregnancy and Nursing

Women who are pregnant are not eligible to donate blood and become eligible six weeks after giving birth.

Women who are nursing are encouraged to drink plenty of water both before and after donating blood.  Donating a unit of blood may decrease milk production in some mothers.

Tattoos

Travel

The two most common reasons for travel deferrals are malaria and Creutzfeldt-Jacob disease. 

• Donor is deferred for 12 months after travel to a malarial-endemic area.
• Donor is deferred three years after departure from a malarial-endemic area if he/she is an immigrant, refugee, citizen or resident of the area. Residents are defined as having lived in an area for more than five years.
• If you have traveled to any of the following areas in the past 12 months, you may be temporarily or permanently ineligible to donate blood.  Please call Bonfils' Donor Relations department at 303.363.2202 or 800.365.0006, opt. 1 if you have questions about how travel may affect blood donor eligibility. 

vCJD Variant Creutzfeld-Jakob Disease (human form of mad cow disease)

There are currently no licensed tests to detect vCJD and there is not enough information to know if vCJD can be transmitted through blood.  Therefore, donors who meet the following criteria are permanently deferred regardless of whether or not they consume beef:

• Donor is deferred when the cumulative time spent in the United Kingdom during 1980-1996 adds up to three months because the majority of mad cow disease cases have occurred in the U.K.
• The donor is deferred when the cumulative time spent on the military bases in the risk countries during 1980-1996 adds up to six months.  Approximately 35 percent of the beef eaten on certain U.S. military bases located throughout Europe between 1980 and 1996 was imported from the U.K.
• The donor is deferred when the cumulative time spent in Europe adds up to five years.  Most European countries have reported cases of Mad Cow disease.

Variant Creutzfeldt-Jacob Disease (vCJD) is the human form of Mad Cow disease and is fatal.  In cattle, Mad Cow disease causes odd behavior due to the degeneration of the brain and is transmitted via feed containing brain and/or spinal tissue from other livestock.  Humans who eat infected beef can develop vCJD with similar symptoms. 

The current deferral period is lifetime, however the deferral period for vCJD is undefined, meaning that should new research/information become available to permit donors to donate, they will be able to do so at that time.