MSM Deferral
Explaining the MSM Deferral Due to FDA policies, men who have had sex with another man* in the past year will be deferred from donation for three months due to an increased risk of acquiring HIV infection. Note that this...
Deferrals
Travel
Anyone who has ever lived in or visited another country may have different deferral periods – this will all be reviewed in the donor screening process. Below are a few examples of common travel deferrals. If you have questions about...
FAQ on Novel Coronavirus and Blood Donation
Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19)
Hemoglobin
During the Medical History part of your donation process, the Historian will take a small blood sample from your finger to test your hemoglobin, which is the oxygen-carrying molecule in your red blood cells. In order to get an accurate...
Tattoos
You will no longer be deferred for tattoos obtained in a California State regulated entity. At present, you will still be deferred for three months if you obtained a tattoo outside of California or in California in a non-regulated entity....
Medications
While many people assume that they are ineligible to donate blood if they take medications, this is simply not the case! While some medications would preclude you from donating, most medications — even those prescribed by a doctor — pose...
Zika Virus
Stanford Blood Center screens blood collections for Zika virus. However, if you have been diagnosed with having Zika virus infection within the last 120 days (~4 months), please call our Post Donation Callback line immediately at 650-725-9968 and someone will contact you to discuss your previous donations and your eligibility to donate.
Emerging Infectious Diseases
Please do not donate if you have EVER had Ebola virus infection or disease. Please do not donate for 4 weeks after full recovery if you have been diagnosed with an infection of chikungunya or dengue. If you have been...