| Obligatory | 1. Must not donate if:
At any time the donor has:
a) Received, or thinks they may have received, a transfusion of blood or blood components, in a country endemic for malaria or South American trypanosomiasis.
b) Received treatment with blood derived coagulation factor concentrates. This includes prothrombin complex to reverse over-anticoagulation.
2. Must not donate if:
Since January 1st 1980:
a) Anywhere in the world the donor has received, or thinks they may have received, a transfusion with red cells, platelets, fresh frozen plasma (FFP), cryoprecipitate, cryodepleted plasma, convalescent plasma, granulocytes, buffy coat preparations, intravenous or subcutaneous human normal immunoglobulin. This includes mothers whose babies have required intra-uterine transfusion.
b) Has had a plasma exchange performed. |
| Discretionary | 1.
a) If on medical inquiry it is unlikely that the donor has been transfused, accept.
b) If treatment with human immunoglobulin has been limited to specific immunoglobulin given as prophylaxis (e.g. anti D, anti tetanus or hepatitis immunoglobulin etc.), accept.
2. Autologous Transfusion in:
- the United Kingdom
- North America
- Australasia
- Western Europe (at any time)
- EU member states (from February 2005)
If only the donor's own blood has been used, accept.
3. Donor transfused before 1st January 1980:
a) If before 1st January 1980 the donor received, or thinks they may have received, a transfusion in a country endemic for malaria or South American trypanosomiasis, check the 'Geographical Disease Risk Index'. If transfused in an at risk country and a validated malarial antibody test and/or (as appropriate) a validated test for T.cruzi antibody is negative, accept.
b) If the transfusion was not within a risk area for either malaria or South American trypanosomiasis, accept.
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| See if Relevant | Bleeding Disorder
Geographical Disease Risk Index
Immunodeficiency
Immunoglobulin Therapy
Malaria
Prion Associated Diseases
South American Trypanosomiasis |
| Additional Information | Transfused donors have previously contributed to the spread of some diseases. This happened with hepatitis C.
Transfusions in some countries may have put the donor at risk of malaria or South American trypanosomiasis. It is necessary to exclude these infections before accepting the donor.
Coagulation concentrates:
People who have received blood derived coagulation concentrates (these are made from the blood of many donors) may have been put at risk of infections that can be passed through blood.
Donors transfused since 1980:
In the autumn of 2003 a UK recipient of blood, taken from a healthy donor who later developed vCJD, died from vCJD. Since then there have been several cases of infection with the vCJD prion in recipients of blood from donors who have later developed vCJD.
In view of this, people transfused, or possibly transfused, since 1980 are now excluded from donation. This date is before BSE, which is believed to have caused vCJD, was prevalent.
Plasma exchange results in a patient being exposed to multiple donors. In view of the increased vCJD risk, donations may not be taken from individuals who have had a plasma exchange performed since 1980. |
| Information | This entry reflects guidance from SaBTO (The Advisory Committee on the Safety of Blood, Tissues and Organs) and its predecessor, the Committee on the Microbiological Safety of Blood Tissues and Organs of the Department of Health. |
| Reason for change | Link updated from 'Immunosuppression' to 'Immunodeficiency' in the 'See if Relevant' section. |
| 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. |