Blood must be drawn from a suitable vein in the antecubital fossa in an area that is free of skin lesions. The veins can be made more prominent by using appropriate means of venous occlusion.
Although it is not possible to guarantee sterility of the skin surface for venepuncture, a strict standardised and validated procedure for the preparation of the venepuncture site should be in operation (see section 9.5).
The antiseptic solution used must be allowed to dry completely after application to the donor’s skin. Thereafter, the prepared area must not be touched with fingers before the needle is inserted.