WHO CAN DONATE BLOOD?
Donated blood must be safe for patients. On the other hand, blood donation must not harm the donor either. Donors therefore have to be in good health. In addition, blood donors must not have diseases that could harm their health at the time of blood donation or afterwards.
Courses of drug therapy usually rule out blood donation. Donation is allowed again after the course of medication is completed, provided that a prescribed period of time, typically two weeks, has elapsed since the end of the course.
Some general requirements for donation
• The donor must be 18 to 65 years of age.
• First-time donors may not be older than 59.
• Blood haemoglobin concentration should be 135—195 g/l for men and 125—175 g/l for women.
• The donor must weigh at least 50 kg.
• The donor must have been resident in the Nordic countries for the past six months.
Certain situations involve an increased risk of exposure to blood-borne diseases. Such circumstances may temporarily or permanently prevent a person from donating blood. Some common obstacles to blood donation are listed below. Please use the adjacent links to obtain more information about the effects of illnesses and medications on eligibility for blood donation.
• New tattoos, pigmentations or piercing of mucous membranes: six months' interval in blood donation (risk of hepatitis C or B infection)
• New sexual partner: three months' interval in blood donation (risk of hepatitis or HIV infection)
• Travel in malarial areas: six months' interval in blood donation, calculated from the time of returning home and the end of malaria prevention medication (risk of malaria infection)
• Living in Britain for over six months between 1 January 1980 and 31 December 1996 is a permanent obstacle to donation (risk of variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease, which is the human form of BSE, or 'mad cow disease').
• Blood exposure, for example at work: six months' interval in blood donation (risk of hepatitis or HIV infection)
• A blood transfusion received in Finland or another Nordic country causes a six months' interval in blood donation.
• A blood transfusion received outside the Nordic countries is a permanent obstacle to blood donation (risk of variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease, which is the human form of BSE, or 'mad cow disease').
• For donors with an occupation or hobby in which dizziness could cause a hazardous situation, an interval of at least 12 hours is recommended between blood donation and starting the work or hobby. Such occupations include flying, driving a train, operating a crane or diving. This recommendation is intended to protect the donor's health.
• Donors who have surgery scheduled within the next few months or who are planning to become pregnant or who are receiving fertility treatment should refrain from giving blood.
• Sex between men is a permanent obstacle to blood donation (risk of hepatitis or HIV infection; number of HIV infections about tenfold compared with population in general).
Eligibility of the donor is assessed prior to each donation
You may ask our staff about the blood donation criteria applicable in your case by calling our Donor Helpline on +358 9 580 1322 or by submitting your question on the web form.
You can take a look beforehand at the health questionnaire to be completed prior to donating blood. The health questionnaire can, however, only be completed at the donation site.
Please note that replying Yes to a particular question will not automatically entail exclusion from blood donation. Your eligibility for donation will be determined only after a nurse has interviewed you and asked some clarifying questions.