MEDIC Regional Blood Center has updated donor eligibility requirements per FDA approval. The FDA recently evaluated blood donor eligibility criteria and recommended a reduction in deferral time period for several areas. MEDIC Senior Management evaluated and adopted these recommendations.
The following areas are now a 3-month deferral after the last date of exposure:
- Tattoo (obtained outside of TN/KY)
- Piercing (no deferral if done by a professional using single-use equipment)
- Needlestick
- Injection of drugs that were not prescribed by a doctor
- Travel to a malaria endemic area
- Males with sexual contact with another male
- Transfusion
In addition, MEDIC has eliminated the deferral period for the following:
- Association with a U.S. military base in Europe from 1980 – 1996
- Lived in Europe for more than 5 years (still deferred if in France or Ireland for more than 5 years in 1980 – 2001; or 3 months or more in the UK from 1980-1996)
MEDIC is seeing a significant increase in demand for COVID Convalescent Plasma and is encouraging those who have had a positive COVID-19 diagnosis via confirmed lab test to donate as soon as possible. As a reminder, donors must have had the positive lab test and must be symptom-free for 28 days.
If a donor has any questions about the deferral changes and time periods, they should call 865-524-3074. For more information about MEDIC Regional Blood Center, please visit the website at www.medicblood.org.
