Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsWho Can DonateWho Can’tOther RestrictionsBlood ScreeningHesitationsHow to Donate
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
Who Can Donate
Who Can’t
Other Restrictions
Blood Screening
Hesitations
How to Donate
There are specific restrictions around blood donation to keep the blood supply safe for those who need it. People with certain types ofviral hepatitiscannot donate blood, but this does not apply to alltypes of hepatitis.
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If you have viral hepatitis and are inclined to donate blood, it’s worth learning if you’re truly barred from doing so or not. According to the American Red Cross, someone in the United States needs ablood transfusionevery two seconds, translating to around 29,000 units of blood per day.With such a need, anyone who is willing to give blood (and cleared to do so) should do so.
Who Can’t Donate
Hepatitis Bandhepatitis Coutright rule you out as a blood donor. If you have ever had either of these, your donation will be rejected—whether you had symptoms or not.
Hepatitis B and hepatitis C are bloodborne viruses that are highly communicable.
Althoughdirect-acting antiviralsfirst introduced in 2007 have achieved high levels of cure rates in people with hepatitis C, people who have been infected still cannot be blood donors whether they have been cured or not.
Hepatitis Donly occurs in people who are infected with hepatitis B because it is an “incomplete virus.“Because of this, it is not necessary to screen the blood supply in the United States. If you have hepatitis D, this means that you have hepatitis B as well and therefore you are not allowed to be a blood donor.
Because viral hepatitis is highly contagious, health authorities have placed the following restrictions on people who may have been exposed to hepatitis B or C.
Among them:
Blood Screening in the United States
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), through the Center for Biologics and Research (CBER), is responsible for ensuring the safety of the roughly 11 million units of whole blood donated in the United States each year.
Blood received from donors then undergoes routine screening for the following blood-transmitted infections:
Any donated blood is quarantined until it is tested and shown to be free of infection.
Due to advanced blood screening practices, the risk of the accidental transmission of hepatitis B and C from contaminated blood is rare.
What Is the Risk of Contaminated Blood?
Hesitations Toward Blood Donation
Although 37% of the U.S. population is eligible to donate blood, less than 5% do so annually, according to a 2012 study published in the journalTransfusion.Among the commonly cited reasons why people avoid donating is the presumption that they are “medically disqualified” to donate.
Many of these attitudes stem back to the 1970s and 1980s when reports of infection among hemophiliacs given tainted blood fueled fears among donors and recipients alike.
Although doubts about the safety of the U.S. blood supply have largely subsided due to advances in blood screening, there are some who avoid donating because it mayrevealthat they havean infection like HIV or hepatitis.
If you think you might have hepatitis—either due to the presence ofsymptomsor because of a known exposure—but are fearful of donating because it may confirm your concern, know that the sooner hepatitis is identified, the sooner you can access treatment that can keep you well and healthy for many years.
How and Where to Donate
The need for blood donation is critical and ongoing. From the time of donation, blood can be stored in a refrigerator for only 42 days. Moreover, blood centers typically run out of type O (which is the universal donor type), placing patients at risk during public health emergencies.
From start to finish, the blood donation process takes around an hour, including 10 minutes to draw one pint of blood.
DoGet a good night’s rest the day before the donationEat a healthy, iron-rich meal before a donationDrink plenty of fluids the day before and the day of the donationHave a snack and fluids immediately afterwardRest for 24 hours after donationBring a friend to donate with you or to drive you home if neededDon’tDonate if you are not feeling wellDonate on an empty stomachDrink caffeine before giving blood, as it may cause dehydrationSmoke one hour before or one hour after a blood donationTake aspirin two days before donating platelets, as this may interfere with clottingExercise for 24 hours after giving blood
DoGet a good night’s rest the day before the donationEat a healthy, iron-rich meal before a donationDrink plenty of fluids the day before and the day of the donationHave a snack and fluids immediately afterwardRest for 24 hours after donationBring a friend to donate with you or to drive you home if needed
Get a good night’s rest the day before the donation
Eat a healthy, iron-rich meal before a donation
Drink plenty of fluids the day before and the day of the donation
Have a snack and fluids immediately afterward
Rest for 24 hours after donation
Bring a friend to donate with you or to drive you home if needed
Don’tDonate if you are not feeling wellDonate on an empty stomachDrink caffeine before giving blood, as it may cause dehydrationSmoke one hour before or one hour after a blood donationTake aspirin two days before donating platelets, as this may interfere with clottingExercise for 24 hours after giving blood
Donate if you are not feeling well
Donate on an empty stomach
Drink caffeine before giving blood, as it may cause dehydration
Smoke one hour before or one hour after a blood donation
Take aspirin two days before donating platelets, as this may interfere with clotting
Exercise for 24 hours after giving blood
Universal Blood Type Recipients and Donors
10 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.American Red Cross.Eligibility Criteria: Alphabetical.American Red Cross.Blood Needs & Blood Supply.Melgaço JG, Gardinali NR, De Mello VDM, Leal M, Lewis-Ximenez LL, Pinto MA.Hepatitis E: Update on prevention and control.Biomed Res Int. 2018;2018:5769201. doi:10.1155/2018/5769201Pfaender S, von Hahn T, Steinmann J, Ciesek S, Steinmann E.Prevention strategies for blood-borne viruses-in the era of vaccines, direct acting antivirals and antiretroviral therapy.Rev Med Virol. 2016;26(5):330-9. doi:10.1002/rmv.1890Dastgerdi ES, Herbers U, Tacke F.Molecular and clinical aspects of hepatitis D virus infections.World J Virol.2012;1(3):71-8. doi:10.5501/wjv.v1.i3.71U.S. Food and Drug Administration.Have you given blood lately?.Engle RE, Bukh J, Alter HJ, et al.Transfusion-associated hepatitis before the screening of blood for hepatitis risk factors.Transfusion. 2014;54(11):2833-41. doi:10.1111/trf.12682Custer B, Schlumpf K, Simon TL, et al.Demographics of successful, unsuccessful and deferral visits at six blood centers over a 4-year period.Transfusion.2012;52(4):712-21. doi:10.1111/j.1537-2995.2011.03353.xShaz BH, Hillyer CD.Minority donation in the United States: challenges and needs.Curr Opin Hematol.2010;17(6):544-9. doi:10.1097/MOH.0b013e32833e5ac7Alter HJ, Klein HG.The hazards of blood transfusion in historical perspective.Blood. 2008;112(7):2617-26. doi:10.1182/blood-2008-07-077370
10 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.American Red Cross.Eligibility Criteria: Alphabetical.American Red Cross.Blood Needs & Blood Supply.Melgaço JG, Gardinali NR, De Mello VDM, Leal M, Lewis-Ximenez LL, Pinto MA.Hepatitis E: Update on prevention and control.Biomed Res Int. 2018;2018:5769201. doi:10.1155/2018/5769201Pfaender S, von Hahn T, Steinmann J, Ciesek S, Steinmann E.Prevention strategies for blood-borne viruses-in the era of vaccines, direct acting antivirals and antiretroviral therapy.Rev Med Virol. 2016;26(5):330-9. doi:10.1002/rmv.1890Dastgerdi ES, Herbers U, Tacke F.Molecular and clinical aspects of hepatitis D virus infections.World J Virol.2012;1(3):71-8. doi:10.5501/wjv.v1.i3.71U.S. Food and Drug Administration.Have you given blood lately?.Engle RE, Bukh J, Alter HJ, et al.Transfusion-associated hepatitis before the screening of blood for hepatitis risk factors.Transfusion. 2014;54(11):2833-41. doi:10.1111/trf.12682Custer B, Schlumpf K, Simon TL, et al.Demographics of successful, unsuccessful and deferral visits at six blood centers over a 4-year period.Transfusion.2012;52(4):712-21. doi:10.1111/j.1537-2995.2011.03353.xShaz BH, Hillyer CD.Minority donation in the United States: challenges and needs.Curr Opin Hematol.2010;17(6):544-9. doi:10.1097/MOH.0b013e32833e5ac7Alter HJ, Klein HG.The hazards of blood transfusion in historical perspective.Blood. 2008;112(7):2617-26. doi:10.1182/blood-2008-07-077370
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
American Red Cross.Eligibility Criteria: Alphabetical.American Red Cross.Blood Needs & Blood Supply.Melgaço JG, Gardinali NR, De Mello VDM, Leal M, Lewis-Ximenez LL, Pinto MA.Hepatitis E: Update on prevention and control.Biomed Res Int. 2018;2018:5769201. doi:10.1155/2018/5769201Pfaender S, von Hahn T, Steinmann J, Ciesek S, Steinmann E.Prevention strategies for blood-borne viruses-in the era of vaccines, direct acting antivirals and antiretroviral therapy.Rev Med Virol. 2016;26(5):330-9. doi:10.1002/rmv.1890Dastgerdi ES, Herbers U, Tacke F.Molecular and clinical aspects of hepatitis D virus infections.World J Virol.2012;1(3):71-8. doi:10.5501/wjv.v1.i3.71U.S. Food and Drug Administration.Have you given blood lately?.Engle RE, Bukh J, Alter HJ, et al.Transfusion-associated hepatitis before the screening of blood for hepatitis risk factors.Transfusion. 2014;54(11):2833-41. doi:10.1111/trf.12682Custer B, Schlumpf K, Simon TL, et al.Demographics of successful, unsuccessful and deferral visits at six blood centers over a 4-year period.Transfusion.2012;52(4):712-21. doi:10.1111/j.1537-2995.2011.03353.xShaz BH, Hillyer CD.Minority donation in the United States: challenges and needs.Curr Opin Hematol.2010;17(6):544-9. doi:10.1097/MOH.0b013e32833e5ac7Alter HJ, Klein HG.The hazards of blood transfusion in historical perspective.Blood. 2008;112(7):2617-26. doi:10.1182/blood-2008-07-077370
American Red Cross.Eligibility Criteria: Alphabetical.
American Red Cross.Blood Needs & Blood Supply.
Melgaço JG, Gardinali NR, De Mello VDM, Leal M, Lewis-Ximenez LL, Pinto MA.Hepatitis E: Update on prevention and control.Biomed Res Int. 2018;2018:5769201. doi:10.1155/2018/5769201
Pfaender S, von Hahn T, Steinmann J, Ciesek S, Steinmann E.Prevention strategies for blood-borne viruses-in the era of vaccines, direct acting antivirals and antiretroviral therapy.Rev Med Virol. 2016;26(5):330-9. doi:10.1002/rmv.1890
Dastgerdi ES, Herbers U, Tacke F.Molecular and clinical aspects of hepatitis D virus infections.World J Virol.2012;1(3):71-8. doi:10.5501/wjv.v1.i3.71
U.S. Food and Drug Administration.Have you given blood lately?.
Engle RE, Bukh J, Alter HJ, et al.Transfusion-associated hepatitis before the screening of blood for hepatitis risk factors.Transfusion. 2014;54(11):2833-41. doi:10.1111/trf.12682
Custer B, Schlumpf K, Simon TL, et al.Demographics of successful, unsuccessful and deferral visits at six blood centers over a 4-year period.Transfusion.2012;52(4):712-21. doi:10.1111/j.1537-2995.2011.03353.x
Shaz BH, Hillyer CD.Minority donation in the United States: challenges and needs.Curr Opin Hematol.2010;17(6):544-9. doi:10.1097/MOH.0b013e32833e5ac7
Alter HJ, Klein HG.The hazards of blood transfusion in historical perspective.Blood. 2008;112(7):2617-26. doi:10.1182/blood-2008-07-077370
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