3

associated with transmission through transfusion, and assess the risk of transmission and the possible consequences to the blood supply of excluding “at-risk” donors. 6 National donor selection criteria should define conditions of acceptance and deferral for each criterion. 7 Adequate resources, including a sufficient number of qualified and trained staff, should be made available for the consistent and reliable assessment of donor suitability for blood donation. 8 Quality systems should be in place for blood donor selection, including selection criteria, staff training and documentation. 9 Blood transfusion services should have systems for the notification and counselling of individuals who have been deferred from blood donation and for their referral for further management if any abnormalities are found. 10 Blood transfusion services should establish mechanisms for monitoring and evaluation to assess the implementation and effectiveness of donor selection criteria. 11 National regulatory mechanisms for the oversight of the functions of blood transfusion services should include activities related to blood donor selection. 12 National procurement policy and supply systems should encompass the equipment and consumables required for assessing the suitability of blood donors. 6 Technical recommendations These technical recommendations provide a summary of recommendations on donor selection criteria in Sections 4–7, by condition. Condition Acceptance or deferral criteria Page numbers Abortion Defer for up to 6 months 46–47 Acne Accept provided venepuncture site is unaffected Also refer to Section 6.2 60–61, 64–65 Acupuncture Defer for 12 months following last procedure 68, 90 Age limits for blood donation Usually 18 to 65 years Refer to Section 4.1 39–40 Alcohol intake Accept if no signs of intoxication 40–41, 89 Allergy Accept if symptom free Defer permanently if history of anaphylaxis 57 Anaemia Accept if past history of iron deficiency anaemia, with a known cause not a contraindication to donation, when treatment completed and fully recovered Accept vitamin B12 or folate deficiency when fully recovered and on maintenance treatment Defer if does not meet minimum haemoglobin level for blood donation or under investigation or on treatment for anaemia Defer permanently if chronic anaemia of unknown cause or associated with systemic disease 43–44, 49–50 Anaphylaxis Defer permanently 57 Antibiotics Accept 14 days after completion of treatment Accept if on long-term antibiotics for acne 41, 55, 60, 65 Ankylosing spondylitis Defer permanently Also refer to Section 5.10 60 Arthritis Refer to Sections 5.6 and 5.10 57, 60 7 Asthma Accept provided asymptomatic on maintenance dose of non-steroid and/or inhaled steroid medication Defer for 14 days after full recovery from acute exacerbation Defer for 14 days after completion of course of oral or injected steroid 54–55, 57 Babesiosis Defer permanently 82 Biopsy Accept when normal activities resumed Also refer to Section 6.4 67 Blood transfusion Defer recipient of blood and blood products for 12 months following transfusion Defer permanently if on regular treatment with plasma-derived coagulation factors Also refer to Section 6.3.1 65–66 Bronchitis Defer for 14 days after full recovery from acute attack and completion of treatment Also refer to Section 5.3 55 Brucellosis Defer permanently 84 Burns Accept if fully healed 61 Campylobacter Defer for 28 days following full recovery 85 Cardiovascular diseases Accept surgically corrected simple congenital cardiac malformation with no residual symptoms Accept asymptomatic disorder: e.g. functional murmurs, mitral valve prolapse Defer permanently all other conditions Also refer to Section 5.2 52–53 Central nervous system diseases Accept if history of epilepsy or seizures provided off medication and seizure-free for 3 years Defer permanently all other conditions 58–59 Cerebrovascular diseases Defer permanently Also refer to Section 5.8.1 58–59 Chagas disease Refer to Section 7.4.2 81–82, 87 Chickenpox Defer for 14 days following full recovery Also refer to Section 7.3.6 78 Chikungunya virus Refer to Section 7.3.5 77 Cholecystitis Accept when fully recovered 55 8 Coagulation disorders Accept if carrier for haemophilia A or B provided normal coagulation factor levels and no history of bleeding or treatment with blood products Defer permanently if coagulation factor deficiencies 52 Coeliac disease Accept if fully treated 55–56 Colitis Accept irritable bowel syndrome without debility Defer active inflammatory bowel disease unless well, in long-term remission and meets minimum haemoglobin levels for blood donation 55 Common cold Refer to Section 4.3 41 Cosmetic treatment (invasive) Defer for 12 months following last procedure 68, 90 Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD)

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25