- #WHY CANT GAY MEN DONATE BLOOD IN FLORIDA HOW TO#
- #WHY CANT GAY MEN DONATE BLOOD IN FLORIDA PROFESSIONAL#
For example, having the Ebola virus makes candidates ineligible to donate blood. International travel : Coyle says those who have traveled or lived in another country, may receive a deferral period based on whether they might have been exposed to an emerging infectious disease. Check with your local blood bank for more info. In states that don’t regulate tattoo facilities, there may be a deferment period.
#WHY CANT GAY MEN DONATE BLOOD IN FLORIDA PROFESSIONAL#
Tattoos and piercings : In most states, if a tattoo or ear/body piercing was done by a licensed facility and professional in your state using sterile needles and non-reused ink, there is no deferral period. The Red Cross is currently working to change the deferral to three months. LGBTQ Donors : The current FDA policy says gay and bisexual men can’t donate blood unless they have been sexually abstinent for the past 12 months. Pregnancy : Women cannot donate blood during their pregnancy or for six weeks after giving birth. The majority of donors feel fine afterward and have no side effects.
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Coyle says donating blood is safe and only takes 5-10 minutes.
#WHY CANT GAY MEN DONATE BLOOD IN FLORIDA HOW TO#
If you have a low hemoglobin level, the blood bank may suggest consulting with your doctor on how to raise your levels and then returning in the future to donate blood.įear : Some attribute their reluctance to donating blood to anxieties about the process such as a needle phobia or fear of fainting. There aren’t a lot of requirements around who can donate blood, but there are many conditions that can prevent you from donating.Īnemia : Experts say low hemoglobin levels (less than 12.5 g/dL), which can indicate low iron levels, are the number one reason people are unable to donate blood. What will disqualify you from giving blood? Weight: Blood donors should be in good health and weigh 110 pounds in order to be eligible. Coyle says there’s no upper age limit to donating blood as long as you’re in good health. Coyle says those who are interested in becoming a blood donor should consider the following, and advises contacting your local blood bank if you have additional questions:Īge : Blood donors must be at least 17 years old (or 16 in some states with a signed parental consent form). “You never know when you or a loved one might need a blood donation.” Can I donate blood? What are the requirements for donating blood?Īll blood banks maintain eligibility requirements for donors in order to protect both the blood donor and recipient. “Donated blood is used for trauma patients such as those injured in natural disasters or mass tragedies, cancer patients who require blood transfusions and those who lose blood during major surgeries,” Dr. John Cunha, DO, an emergency medicine physician at Holy Cross Hospital in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, says blood donations are critical for many reasons and needed for both emergencies and long-term treatments. Studies have shown that donating blood can improve heart health by lowering cholesterol and reducing the risk of a heart attack. In addition to doing something good for others, donating blood also offers positive health benefits to donors. “Blood donations are typically down during the winter and summer months, due to weather and vacations, yet the need for blood donations is a year-round issue.” “A single blood donation can save the lives of up to three people,” says Ross Coyle, spokesperson for the Stanford Blood Center, an independent community blood center in Palo Alto, California. requiring blood every two seconds, the nation’s blood banks are constantly seeking volunteer donors in order to maintain a readily available blood supply. Donating blood means giving the gift of life, yet despite the ongoing need for blood donations, only 3 out of every 100 people are blood donors.