Categories for Deferrals
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...
MSM Deferral
April 2, 2020 — Update Regarding New FDA Guidance This morning, the FDA issued an updated guidance regarding blood donation deferrals for a number of risk factors, including travel to malaria-risk regions, tattoos, and risk of transmission of variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob...
Tattoos
You will no longer be deferred for tattoos obtained in a California State regulated entity. At present, you will still be deferred for 12 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...
Travel
April 2, 2020 — Update Regarding New FDA Guidance This morning, the FDA issued an updated guidance regarding blood donation deferrals for a number of risk factors, including travel to malaria-risk regions, tattoos, and risk of transmission of variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob...
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...