According to the American Red Cross, only three out of every 100 people in America donate blood. There is a constant, daily need for blood, and most of that blood can come only from people who make the choice to donate. The only exceptions are those who opt for autologous or self donation. However, while the need for blood is great, there are also specific guidelines in place to ensure the safety of the blood supply.
Giving Blood for Transfusion to Others (Heterologous Donation)
Persons wishing to donate to others must be healthy, at least 17 years old and weigh at least 110 pounds. Donors should not have donated whole blood within the last 56 days or double red cells within the last 112 days. Someone with a chronic condition, such as diabetes, should be under regular treatment and have his condition under control. All donors receive a basic physical exam, measuring blood pressure, temperature and red blood count, and all tests must fall within the normal range.
Giving Blood for Self Use (Autologous Donation)
In some instances, a physician may require a patient make an autologous donation for use during surgery. In these instances, the requirements are less strict, but there are still certain guidelines to follow. An autologous donor should be deemed medically fit by his surgeon or general practitioner. The doctor may prescribe vitamins or blood supplements, prior to donation, to prevent anemia. As with heterologous donation, if the donor is not feeling well he should contact the donor center and defer donation.
Restrictions
Recreational IV drug users, people with HIV and hemophiliacs who use clotting factors are all restricted from donating blood, as are people who have had sexual contact with these people. People who have engaged in sex for drugs or money and men who have had sex with other men are also restricted. Anyone who has been incarcerated for more than 72 hours within the previous 12 months are also restricted. There are also geographic considerations; those who have lived in Western Europe since 1980 or in the UK between 1980 and 1999 are restricted from donating because of Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease and Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (Mad Cow). The Red Cross also places restrictions on those who were born in, lived in or had sex with anyone from several African countries. The list changes frequently so it is best to check with the Red Cross prior to donation. However, the most recent list includes: Cameroon, the Central African Republic, Chad, Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Niger and Nigeria.
