NIH BLOOD BANK

About Donating

Here is all the information you need to make a whole-blood or platelet donation:

Please contact us to ask questions about types of donations.

Am I Eligible to Donate?

You can donate blood or platelets if you:

  • Are healthy
  • Are at least 17 years of age
  • Weigh at least 110 pounds.

The tables below address specific situations affecting donation eligibility. See Can I Donate If...? for more details about medical conditions and/or medications that could affect your eligibility to donate.

Medical Condition Eligibility
Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS), individuals at high risk and their partners cannot donate
Colds and flu within 2 days cannot donate
Diabetes, on or off medication and under control can donate
Hepatitis B or C cannot donate
Pregnancy cannot donate
Pregnancy, after delivery, miscarriage, abortion 6-week wait
Menstruation can donate
Cancer, treatment complete and disease-free; most types 2-year wait
   
Medical Procedures Eligibility
Surgery, without transfusion (except for autologous blood) wait varies with procedure
Surgery, with transfusion 3-month wait
   
Vaccinations Eligibility
Measles (rubella); measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR); chicken pox (varicella) 1-month wait     
Flu can donate
Hepatitis A or B can donate
COVID-19 Vaccine can donate
   
Other Possible Restrictions Eligibility
Ear/Body piercing, sterile procedure/equipment used can donate
Ear/Body piercing, nonsterile procedure/equipment used 3-month wait
Tattooing 3-month wait
Travel outside the United States or Canada Contact us

NOTE: PDF documents require the free Adobe Reader.

This page last updated on 10/18/2023

You are now leaving the NIH Clinical Center website.

This external link is provided for your convenience to offer additional information. The NIH Clinical Center is not responsible for the availability, content or accuracy of this external site.

The NIH Clinical Center does not endorse, authorize or guarantee the sponsors, information, products or services described or offered at this external site. You will be subject to the destination site’s privacy policy if you follow this link.

More information about the NIH Clinical Center Privacy and Disclaimer policy is available at https://www.cc.nih.gov/disclaimers.html