JPAC Joint United Kingdom (UK) Blood Transfusion and Tissue Transplantation Services Professional Advisory Committee

Hormone Replacement and Sex Hormone Therapy

Includes

Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT):
Includes any form of sex hormones, such as:

  • Tablets, patches or topical gels) as treatment for menopausal symptoms
  • Testosterone replacement therapy


Gender Affirming Hormone Therapy:
Masculinising or feminising hormones taken to support transition

Obligatory

See:
Is there an entry for the condition for which the hormones are being given?

Must not donate if:
a) Used for malignancy.

b) A recipient of human gonadotrophin of pituitary origin.

c) A recipient of human pituitary growth hormone.

d) A recipient of replacement adrenal steroid hormones.

Discretionary

a) If treatment is for the menopause, its symptoms, or for osteoporosis prevention, accept.

b) If treatment is for a shortage of sex hormones, e.g. in some cases of erectile dysfunction and is not related to the treatment of malignancy, accept.

c) If treated with growth hormone that was exclusively recombinant, accept.

d) If treated with gonadotrophins that were exclusively non-pituitary derived, accept.

See if Relevant

Adrenal Failure
Anti-Androgens
Haemochromatosis
Malignancy
Prion Associated Diseases
Steroid Therapy
Thyroid Disease
Transgender and Non-Binary Individuals

Additional Information

There are many reasons why an individual may be deficient in a specific hormone. If this is related directly to malignancy, or to the treatment of malignancy, or to the use of pituitary derived hormones (these have been linked with prion associated diseases), the donor cannot donate in order to protect any person who may receive a donation from that individual.

As well as hormones, donors may take other medication to modify the effect of sex hormones as part of gender-affirming treatment. This may include hormone blockers, such as anti-androgens, which could affect the donor’s eligibility.

If there is a risk to the safety of the donor, as may be the case with a deficiency of adrenal steroid hormones, then a donation should not be taken.

Information

Part of this entry is a requirement of the Blood Safety and Quality Regulations 2005.

Reason for change

The title and scope have been changed to include cross sex hormone therapy.

Donor Information

If you wish to obtain more information regarding a personal medical issue please contact your National Help Line.

Please do not contact this web site for personal medical queries, as we are not in a position to provide individual answers.

Update Information

This entry was last updated in:
WB-DSG Edition 203 Release 70