# donating blood **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [June 3, 2008, 4:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donating-blood/451589 "2008-06-03T04:54:03Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Greta](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a698b9/32.png) [@Greta](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Greta)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2008, 4:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donating-blood/451589/1 "2008-06-03T04:54:03Z")
If one wants to donate blood (or plasma), does it matter what medications you are taking? I’m on the pill, and was curious if one must be medication free. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2008, 4:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donating-blood/451589/2 "2008-06-03T04:58:23Z")
When you go in, they ask you what medications you’re taking. If it’s a problem, they’ll tell you. ---
**Author:** ![psycat90](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/7ea924/32.png) [@psycat90](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/psycat90)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2008, 5:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donating-blood/451589/3 "2008-06-03T05:13:41Z")
I donate every 8 weeks and they do not ask me what medications I am taking. They do ask if I have taken any aspirin or aspirin products in the last 48 hours. And there are one or two questions on the questionnaire that my local blood bank uses that inquire about antibiotics and a couple of very specific medications I believe (It may be specific illnesses, can’t remember.) But otherwise, they do not ask me to list or name what medications I am currently taking. You can donate while taking contraceptives. I am currently taking medications for hay fever/allergies and asthma and I can donate. If you are concerned, the best thing to do is ask when you are being screened. And good job! ---
**Author:** ![Rick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/9f8e36/32.png) [@Rick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rick)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2008, 5:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donating-blood/451589/4 "2008-06-03T05:21:53Z")
[QUOTE=Greta] If one wants to donate blood (or plasma), does it matter what medications you are taking? I’m on the pill, and was curious if one must be medication free. [/QUOTE] If you are donating via the Red Cross there is a good sized list (maybe 10-12) items of various drugs that you cannot be taking. To the best of my knowledge, BC pills don’t matter. ::: googling::: [Here](http://www.redcross.org/services/biomed/0,1082,0_557_,00.html) is the list from the American Red Cross > [@](#): > > Medications > In almost all cases, medications will not disqualify you as a blood donor. Your eligibility will be based on the reason that the medication was prescribed. As long as the condition is under control and you are healthy, blood donation is usually permitted. > Over-the-counter oral homeopathic medications, herbal remedies, and nutritional supplements are acceptable. > There are a handful of drugs that are of special significance in blood donation. Persons on these drugs have waiting periods following their last dose before they can donate blood: > > ``` > * Accutane, Amnesteem, Claravis or Sotret (isoretinoin), Proscar (finasteride), and Propecia (finasteride) - wait 1 month from the last dose. > * Avodart (dutasteride) - wait 6 months from the last dose. > * Aspirin, no waiting period for donating whole blood. However you must wait 48 hours after taking aspirin or any medication containing aspirin before donating platelets by apheresis. > * Clopidogrel - wait 7 days after taking this medication before donating platelets by apheresis. > * Coumadin (warfarin) , heparin or other prescription blood thinners- you should not donate since your blood will not clot normally. If your doctor discontinues your treatment with blood thinners, wait 7 days before returning to donate. > * Hepatitis B Immune Globulin – given for exposure to hepatitis, wait 12 months after exposure to hepatitis. > * Human pituitary-derived growth hormone at any time - you are not eligible to donate blood. > * Plavix - wait 7 days after taking this medication before donating platelets by apheresis. > * Soriatane (acitretin) - wait 3 years. > * Tegison (etretinate) at any time - you are not eligible to donate blood. > * Ticlid - wait 7 days after taking this medication before donating platelets by apheresis. > > ``` > > Ticlopidine - wait 7 days after taking this medication before donating platelets by apheresis. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Them](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/898d66/32.png) [@The\_Them](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Them)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2008, 10:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donating-blood/451589/5 "2008-06-03T10:45:51Z")
If you’re giving plasma (dunno about whole blood), you can’t be on opiates or opioids, the rationale being that if you come up positive for these, you’re a junkie using unsterile needles. The list **Rick** gave is good, and pretty commonsense if you think for a moment. There is no rule I know of prohibiting donations when you’re _high_… ---
**Author:** ![elbows](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/b3f665/32.png) [@elbows](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elbows)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2008, 1:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donating-blood/451589/6 "2008-06-03T13:54:02Z")
Anti malarials will keep you from donating blood for a year where I live. ---
**Author:** ![the\_Lady](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/bb73d2/32.png) [@the\_Lady](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/the_Lady)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2008, 1:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donating-blood/451589/7 "2008-06-03T13:55:57Z")
Canadian Blood Services asks if you have taken any medication, other than vitamins or birth control pills in the screening questions. So clearly BC doesn’t matter in Canada. ---
**Author:** ![Sigmagirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c89c15/32.png) [@Sigmagirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sigmagirl)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2008, 2:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donating-blood/451589/8 "2008-06-03T14:00:55Z")
A Red Cross nurse once told me that, with few exceptions, they’re more interested in the reason you’re taking the medication than in the medication itself. If you have a disease or condition that might affect either your blood’s quality or your own safe ability to donate, that’s what they’re looking for rather than what you’re taking. Drugs like Accutane, Coumadin, and others on the list **Rick** posted are the exceptions. ---
**Author:** ![Voyager](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/voyager/32/133_2.png) [@Voyager](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Voyager)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2008, 5:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donating-blood/451589/9 "2008-06-03T17:07:58Z")
[QUOTE=Sigmagirl] A Red Cross nurse once told me that, with few exceptions, they’re more interested in the reason you’re taking the medication than in the medication itself. If you have a disease or condition that might affect either your blood’s quality or your own safe ability to donate, that’s what they’re looking for rather than what you’re taking. Drugs like Accutane, Coumadin, and others on the list **Rick** posted are the exceptions. [/QUOTE] I’m on coumadin, and I specifically asked the donation center and my cardiologist, and they both said it was okay to donate. I’ve got to find the permission slip to send to my cardiologist before I’ll try and know for sure. Definitely donate. Donating blood probably saved my life. ---
**Author:** ![gigi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a587f6/32.png) [@gigi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gigi)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2008, 5:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donating-blood/451589/10 "2008-06-03T17:38:27Z")
Currently when I go, the question is “Are you currently taking Medication on The List?” that **Rick** posted. They used to ask what you’re taking, but now they just make sure you’re not taking something on the list. And that you haven’t taken aspirin within the previous three days. ---
**Author:** ![Quercus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/7ab992/32.png) [@Quercus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quercus)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2008, 9:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donating-blood/451589/11 "2008-06-03T21:36:11Z")
[QUOTE=elbows] Anti malarials will keep you from donating blood for a year where I live. [/QUOTE] I suspect that’s more because it’s a sign you might have been exposed to malaria than any concerns about the medication itself. Where I live, going to a potential malaria region disqualifies you for a year, whether or not you’ve taken medication.