Medications
Can you donate blood if you are taking antibiotics?
If you are not taking an antibiotic on the day of donation, you are fine to donate. If recently on antibiotic treatment for an infection, you do need to complete taking all medication as directed by your doctor prior to the day of donation. Antibiotics taken to prevent infections are generally acceptable. An example of this would be antibiotic treatment for acne.
If I take medication containing Aspirin, will it affect my eligibility to donate?
If you take Aspirin, there is no waiting period for donating whole blood. However, if you plan on donating platelets by apheresis, you must wait 2 full days after taking aspirin or any medication containing aspirin before your scheduled donation date. For example, if you take aspirin products on Monday, the soonest you may donate platelets is Thursday.
If I have diabetes and take insulin, can I donate?
Donors with diabetes who take any kind of insulin are eligible to donate as long their diabetes is well controlled.
I am on Epilepsy Medication. Can I donate?
If you have been seizure-free for 6 months, you are eligible to donate.
If I am on birth control, am I eligible to donate?
Women on oral contraceptives or using other forms of birth control are eligible to donate.
If I am currently taking or have taken PrEP or PEP, am I eligible to donate?
Individuals who have taken oral PrEP or PEP, will be deferred from donation for three months from their most recent use. For individuals who have received PrEP by injection, the FDA recommends deferral from blood donation for two years from their most recent injection. This longer deferral for injectable forms of PrEP is due to the increased duration of effect that this form of the medications has.
Some medications affect your eligibility as a blood donor for the following reasons:
Antiplatelet agents affect platelet function, so people taking these drugs should not donate platelets for the indicated time. You may still be able to donate whole blood or red blood cells by apheresis.
Anticoagulants or “blood thinners” are used to treat or prevent blood clots in the legs, lungs, or other parts of the body, and to prevent strokes. These medications affect the blood’s ability to clot, which might cause excessive bruising or bleeding when you donate.
Isotretinoin, finasteride, dutasteride, acitretin, and etretinate can cause birth defects. Your donated blood could contain high enough levels to damage the unborn baby if transfused to a pregnant woman.
Thalomid (thalidomide), Erivedge (vismodegib), Odomzo (sonidegib), Aubagio (teriflunomide), Revlimid (lenalidomide), and Rinvoq (upadacitinib) may cause birth defects or the death of an unborn baby if transfused to a pregnant woman.
Cellcept (mycophenolate mofetil) and Arava (leflunomide) are immunosuppressants that may cause birth defects or the death of an unborn baby if transfused to a pregnant woman.
PrEP or pre-exposure prophylaxis involves taking a specific combination of medicines as a prevention method for people who are HIV negative and at high risk of HIV infection.
PEP or post-exposure prophylaxis is a short-term treatment started as soon as possible after a high-risk exposure to HIV to reduce the risk of infection.
ART or antiretroviral therapy is the daily use of a combination of HIV medicines (called an HIV regimen) to treat HIV infection.
Hepatitis B Immune Globulin (HBIG) is an injected material used to prevent hepatitis B infection following a possible or known exposure to hepatitis B. HBIG does not prevent hepatitis B infection in every case; therefore, persons who have received HBIG must wait to donate blood.
Experimental medication or unlicensed (experimental) vaccine is usually associated with a research study and the effect on the safety of transfused blood is unknown.
MEDICATION DEFERRAL LIST
| Are being treated with any of the following types of medications: |
or have taken: |
which is also called: |
anytime in the last: |
| Antiplatelet agents (usually taken to prevent stroke or heart attack) |
Feldene |
piroxicam |
3 days |
|
Effient |
prasugrel |
3 days |
|
Brilinta |
ticagrelor |
7 days |
|
Plavix |
clopidogrel |
14 days |
|
Ticlid |
ticlopidine |
14 days |
|
Zontivity |
vorapaxar |
1 month |
| Anticoagulants or “blood thinners” (usually taken to prevent blood clots in the legs and lungs and to prevent strokes) |
Arixtra |
fondaparinux |
2 days |
|
Eliquis |
apixaban |
2 days |
|
Fragmin |
dalteparin |
2 days |
|
Lovenox |
enoxaparin |
2 days |
|
Pradaxa |
dabigatran |
2 days |
|
Savaysa |
edoxaban |
2 days |
|
Xarelto |
rivaroxaban |
2 days |
|
Coumadin, Warfilone, Jantoven |
warfarin |
7 days |
|
Heparin, low-molecular-weight heparin |
|
7 days |
| Acne treatment |
Accutane Amnesteem Absorica Claravis Myorisan Sotret Zenatane |
isotretinoin |
1 month |
| Multiple myeloma |
Thalomid Revlimid |
thalidomide lenalidomide |
1 month |
| Rheumatoid arthritis |
Rinvoq |
upadacitinib |
1 month |
| Hair loss remedy |
Propecia |
finasteride |
1 month |
| Prostate symptoms |
Proscar |
finasteride |
1 month |
|
Avodart Jalyn |
dutasteride |
6 months |
| Immunosuppressant |
Cellcept |
mycophenolate mofetil |
6 weeks |
| Hepatitis exposure |
Hepatitis B Immune Globulin |
HBIG |
3 months |
| HIV Prevention (also known as PrEP or PEP) |
Any medication taken by mouth (oral) to prevent HIV: Truvada of Descovy |
emtricitabine and tenofovir disoproxil fumarate, emtricitabine and tenofovir alafenamid |
3 months |
|
Injectable HIV prevention: Apretude |
cabotegravir |
2 years |
| Basal cell skin cancer |
Erivedge Odomzo |
vismodegib sonidegib |
2 years |
| Relapsing multiple sclerosis |
Aubagio |
teriflunomide |
2 years |
| Rheumatoid arthritis |
Arava |
leflunomide |
2 years |
| Psoriasis |
Soriatane |
acitretin |
3 years |
|
Tegison |
etretinate |
Ever |
| HIV treatment |
Any medication to treat HIV. May also be called antiretroviral therapy (ART) |
|
Ever |
| Experimental Medication |
|
|
As defined by the medical director |
| Unlicensed (Experimental) Vaccine |
|
|
As defined by the medical director |