Basic Requirements

for giving blood

IDENTIFICATION	
Identification with full name and signature, or full name and photograph required.

AGE	
Between 17th and 71st birthday (regular donor), or between 17th and 61st birthday (first-time donor).  To continue donating after the 71st birthday, regular donors should contact Canadian Blood Services prior to donation for further eligibility information.

WEIGHT		
At least 50 kg (110 lb).

FREQUENCY OF DONATION	
Minimum interval between blood donations is 56 days. 

HEALTH	
In general good health and feeling well. You should have had something to eat and adequate sleep. You must also meet hemoglobin (iron) requirements (test done at clinic).

SCREENING	
At the time of donation, you will be asked a number of questions to determine your eligibility.

If you have 				     You must wait before donating
A cleaning or Filling			       Deferred for the day of the treatment
An extraction, root canal or dental surgery      Deferred for 72 hours provided donor has fully recovered
A cold, flu or sore throat			       Full recovery
Had ear or body piercing or tattooing	       6 months

DONATING BLOOD – A SAFE PROCEDURE
Donating blood does not put you at risk of disease. All needles are sterile, used only once and discarded. The usual blood collection – a “unit” – is about half a litre, or one pint. Your body soon replaces all the blood you donate.

The above eligibility requirements were accurate at the time of printing.  Eligibility requirements are subject to change. For complete eligibility requirements, please contact Canadian Blood Services by calling 1 888 2 DONATE.