The Practical Aspects

Diabetics and blood donation

There is a tremendous need for blood – on any given day, accident victims, people undergoing surgery, and patients receiving treatment for leukemia, cancer, or other diseases, such as sickle cell disease and thalassemia, all utilize blood. More than 23 million units of blood components are transfused every year.

General guidelines state that to give blood for transfusion to another person, one has to be healthy, be at least 17 years old, weigh at least 110 pounds, and not have donated blood in the last 56 days. In this context, healthy means that one is feeling well and can perform normal activities.

In case of persons with a chronic condition such as diabetes or high blood pressure, "healthy" also means that the person is being treated and the condition is under control.

Can diabetics donate blood?

Diabetics can donate blood, if their condition is being treated by diet and lifestyle changes alone. Besides, they need to be free from any other medical condition such as a heart disease. Looking from the other side, studies have also revealed that blood donation is not related to the risk of type 2 diabetes.

However, diabetics who are dependant treated with tablets or insulin will not be able to give blood. This restriction is because the several blood service organizations are concerned about the health of the blood donors. They also arise from fears that giving blood may affect a person’s blood glucose control, or aggravate any undiagnosed diabetes related conditions such as neuropathy or heart disease.

Some persons may be managing their diabetic condition only with diet and not taking any medicines as such. However, organizations dealing in blood services, look into reasons as to why a person is taking medications, rather than what medication a person may be taking. This is to protect the health of blood donors. For example, a person taking beta-blockers would not be able to donate blood if they were taking the beta-blockers for high blood pressure, since giving blood could have an adverse effect on their own health. However, if the beta-blockers were being taken to treat irritable bowel syndrome, providing someone was otherwise healthy, they should still be able to donate blood.

With the exception of a few drugs (eg Teratogenic), most medicines do not affect the quality of the blood sample. Most of the blood plasma, where the drug would be located in someone’s blood, is removed from the blood sample that is taken from a donor before the blood is used.

Guidelines for diabetic blood donors

The American Red Cross states that individuals with diabetes may donate blood if they:

• Have not had an initial dosage of insulin or change of insulin dose in at least two weeks.
• Have not received an injection of bovine (beef) insulin made from cattle from the United Kingdom since 1980.

The following whole blood donation intervals are recommended for people with diabetes:

• 8 weeks (56 days) between donations.
• 3 days after routine plateletpheresis.
• 28 days after routine plasmapheresis.

Blood donation will not be accepted from diabetics who are on the following medications:

• Pituitary-Derived Human Growth Hormone and Tegison (indefinite deferral)
• Soriatane (3 year deferral).
• Injections of radioactive material (8 week deferral).
• Accutane, Proscar, Propecia & Gold therapy (4 week deferral).
• Insulin dose change (2 week deferral, see above).
• Oral or intramuscular antibiotics or antifungal unless taking for chronic condition (2 day deferral).
• Antivirals (2 day deferral).

Other eligibility guidelines may apply, depending on a persons’ medical history. Diabetics intending to donate blood will be given a confidential health questionnaire before blood donation to screen for any contraindications. If everything goes well, they may also donate blood, for giving blood is a gift of life!