Frequently Asked Questions About Donating Blood

Contents:

• Who can give blood?
• How long does it take to donate?
• How often can one donate?
• Is an appointment needed?
• Are there any special requirements before or after the donation process?
• Is it safe to give blood?
• What is self-deferral?
• What is FDA's policy on blood donations from men who have sex with other men (MSM)?
• Are there potential donors who have increased risks of HIV or other infections who, as a result, are excluded from donating blood?
• Why are some people, such as heterosexuals with multiple partners, allowed to donate blood despite increased risk for transmitting HIV and hepatitis?
• What is the most rare type of blood?
• What blood types are compatible?
  

Who can give blood?
You are eligible to donate blood if you are in good health, weigh at least 110 pounds and are 17 years or older. You are not eligible to donate blood if you have ever had hepatitis, used self-injected drugs (non-prescription), or are in a high-risk group for AIDS. Some health considerations or medications may require temporary deferral from donating blood. Donor eligibility is determined at the time of donation by trained personnel. Please see the Eligibility Guidelines for UC Berkeley Blood Drives for an initial self-assessment.

How long does it take to donate?
The donation process takes less than an hour.

How often can one donate?
Blood from volunteer donors may be donated every eight weeks, which is every 56 days (6 times per year).

Is an appointment needed?
Appointments are preferred; however, walk-ins are always welcome. To schedule an appointment online, go to beadonor.com, the American Red Cross appointment system (www.beadonor.com/index.cfm?Group=Registration). You will asked to register the first time and you need to specify the sponsor code of "UCB" to locate the campus drives.

Are there any special requirements before or after the donation process?
Yes. Within several hours before your donation, eat a good meal. Bring a picture identification (driver's license, passport, UC Berkeley I.D.) with you when donating. After your donation, drink more fluids than normal for 24 to 48 hours.

Is it safe to give blood?
Yes. There is NO RISK of contracting any infectious diseases including AIDS by GIVING blood. All medical supplies including needles are sterile and used only once, then destroyed.

What is self-deferral?
Self-deferral is a process in which individuals elect not to donate because they identify themselves as having characteristics that place them at potentially higher risk of carrying a transfusion transmissible disease. FDA uses self-deferral as part of a system to protect the blood supply. This system starts by informing donors about the risk of transmitting infectious diseases. Then, potential donors are asked questions about their health and certain behaviors and other factors (such as travel and past transfusions) that increase their risk of infection. Screening questions help people, even those who feel well, to identify themselves as potentially at higher risk for transmitting infectious diseases. Screening questions allow individuals to self defer, rather than unknowingly donating blood that may be infected.

What is FDA's policy on blood donations from men who have sex with other men (MSM)?

UC Berkeley Blood Drives, sponsored by the American Red Cross Blood Services and UC San Francisco Blood Center, are governed by the following FDA policy, which defers donations from men who have sex with men. For those that cannot donate, your support of blood drives through volunteering, spreading the word or sponsoring a drive is valued and appreciated.

FDA policy states that men who have had sex with other men, at any time since 1977 (the beginning of the AIDS epidemic in the United States) are currently deferred as blood donors. This is because MSM are, as a group, at increased risk for HIV, hepatitis B and certain other infections that can be transmitted by transfusion. The policy is not unique to the United States. Many European countries have recently reexamined both the science and ethics of the lifetime MSM deferral, and have retained it. This decision is also consistent with the prevailing interpretation of the European Union Directive 2004/33/EC article 2.1 on donor deferrals.

For more information, see FDA Policy on Blood Donations from Men Who Have Sex with Other Men. (http://www.fda.gov/cber/faq/msmdonor.htm)

Are there potential donors who have increased risks of HIV or other infections who, as a result, are excluded from donating blood?
Intravenous drug abusers are excluded from giving blood because they have prevalence rates of HIV, HBV, HCV and HTLV that are much higher than the general population. People who have received transplants of animal tissue or organs are excluded from giving blood because of the still largely unknown risks of transmitting unknown or emerging pathogens harbored by the animal donors. People who have recently traveled to or lived abroad in certain countries may be excluded because they are at risk for transmitting agents such as malaria or variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease (vCJD). People who have engaged in sex in return for money or drugs are also excluded because they are at increased risk for transmitting HIV and other blood-borne infections.

Why are some people, such as heterosexuals with multiple partners, allowed to donate blood despite increased risk for transmitting HIV and hepatitis?
Current scientific data from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) indicate that, as a group, men who have sex with other men (MSM) are at a higher risk for transmitting infectious diseases or HIV than are individuals in other risk categories. While statistics indicate a rising infection rate among young heterosexual women, their overall rate of HIV infection remains much lower than in men who have sex with other men. For information on HIV-related statistics and trends, go to CDC's HIV/AIDS Statistics and Surveillance web page (http://www.cdc.gov/hiv/topics/surveillance/basic.htm).

What is the most rare type of blood?
All blood types are constantly needed. In a random breakdown of 100 people, we would expect to find approximately:

What blood types are compatible?

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