DEFERRAL

Being deferred means that you are not able to donate blood at that time. The length of time you must wait to try again depends on the reason.

Blood donation centers follow the criteria set by the Food and Drug Administration and the AABB when screening potential donors. If you are temporarily deferred, you can return to the blood center and be evaluated again at a later date. See Why were you deferred? below

In contrast, permanent deferral means that you are not eligible to give blood at any time based on the current regulations. According to the American Red Cross, some permanently deferred individuals are:

• Those who have used needles to take any drug or substance not prescribed by a doctor.
• Those who have had the Ebola virus infection or disease.
• Those who have ever received a dura mater transplant or human pituitary growth hormone.
• Those who have a blood relative who had Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease.
• Those who have hemochromatosis.
• Those who have tested positive for hepatitis B or hepatitis C at any age.
• Those who have AIDS or have tested positive for HIV.
• Those who have infections with Chagas’ disease, babesiosis or leishmaniasis.
• Those who have sickle cell disease.
• Those who have beta-thalassemia major.
• Those who have received a blood transfusion since 1980 in the United Kingdom.
• Those who have received a transplant of animal organs or of living animal tissue.

Please check with your blood donation center for details and up-to-date information.