What are the conditions to donate blood?
Donating blood is a generous act, but can only be done under certain conditions. These conditions have changed since April 2016.
be fit
If the body is affected by an infection , whatever it is (flu, nasopharyngitis, gastro, etc.), the composition of the blood is modified (high level of antibodies, virus, etc.). It is therefore mandatory to wait at least 15 days after the end of the first symptoms.
When donating blood, the donor undergoes a health examination to judge his physical condition .
Although in perfect health, it is strongly recommended to eat well and hydrate well before any donation.
Do not take medication
If it is paracetamol taken the day before for a headache, it is not necessary to postpone the blood donation. On the other hand, if it is an antibiotic treatment , it is better to abstain, even if the treatment is finished. You must actually wait a minimum of 15 days before donating blood because antibiotics take some time to be definitively eliminated from the body.
This is also the case for corticosteroids and, in general, for any specific treatment corresponding to a precise pathology. In case of doubt, it is better to seek the advice of the doctor on site.
Do not have a blood-borne disease
To avoid possible blood contamination , people with blood-borne diseases such as viral hepatitis (B and C) or HIV cannot donate blood.
If there is a potential risk or doubt persists, it is strongly recommended to carry out screening tests before undertaking a blood donation.
Be of the required age and weight
To be able to donate blood, you must necessarily be of legal age and not be under legal protection (tutorship or curatorship for example). After the age of 70 , it is no longer possible to donate blood for health reasons, the elderly being more vulnerable.
You must also weigh at least 50 kilos because the volume of blood taken must not exceed 13% of the total blood volume . However, the minimum quantity of blood required during a donation being 400 ml, this quantity exceeds the maximum blood volume to be collected below 50 kilos.
