Basic Eligibility

Please note that this information is subject to change. Final eligibility determination rests with the screening staff at the donor clinic.

Identification

Identification with full name and signature, or full name and photograph required. Blood Donor Card, if not a first time donor.

Age

At least 17 years old.

Weight

At least 110 lb

Frequency of Donation

Minimum interval between blood donations is 8 weeks/56 days. 2 Unit red cells 112 days/16 weeks.

Health

In general good health and feeling well. You should have had something to eat and adequate sleep. You must also meet hemoglobin (iron) requirements (test done at clinic). Keep well hydrated before you give blood. Observe a diet of foods high in iron for two weeks prior to giving blood to avoid disqualification for low iron.

Screening

At the time of donation, you will be asked a number of questions to determine your eligibility. See sample questioner PDF file.

Bone Marrow

To be eligible to join the National Bone Marrow Registry, you must:

• Be between 17 and 50 years of age
• Meet certain health-related criteria
• Fall between certain height and weight levels

Donating blood does not put you at risk of disease. All needles are sterile, used only once and discarded. The usual blood collection - a "unit" - is one pint. Your body soon replaces all the blood you donate.