{"id":12088,"date":"2020-06-30T10:00:35","date_gmt":"2020-06-30T14:00:35","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.singlecare.com\/blog\/?p=12088"},"modified":"2025-12-17T18:06:18","modified_gmt":"2025-12-17T23:06:18","slug":"blood-donation","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.singlecare.com\/blog\/blood-donation\/","title":{"rendered":"Everything you need to know about blood donation"},"content":{"rendered":"

Every day, Americans use about 29,000 units of red blood cells, according to the <\/span>American Red Cross<\/span>. It\u2019s a life-saving treatment that\u2019s always in high demand. Partially because blood donations don\u2019t last forever.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cUnlike other lifesaving treatments, blood products are perishable and cannot be stockpiled or manufactured,\u201d says <\/span>Yvette Miller, MD<\/span>, executive medical officer of the American Red Cross. Red blood cells have a shelf life of 42 days, while platelets must be used within five days.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

In 2022, the American Red Cross experienced its first-ever blood <\/span>crisis<\/span>, with the worst blood shortage in over a decade. And while the need has stabilized, blood banks always face a <\/span>chance<\/span> of a shortage.<\/span><\/p>\n

That\u2019s because only about 3% of eligible people donate blood every year. If you\u2019re looking for an easy way to help your community and are donating for the first time, read on to learn the basics.<\/span><\/p>\n

Blood donation requirements<\/span><\/h2>\n

The first step in giving blood is to find out if you\u2019re eligible to donate blood and where to donate.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Who can give blood?<\/span><\/h3>\n

The main eligibility requirements are age and weight: You have to be at least 16 years old, weigh over 110 pounds, and be in good health.<\/span><\/p>\n

To help maintain the safety of the blood supply, there are some blood donation disqualifications such as certain health conditions, travel destinations, and other risk factors that make you ineligible to donate including anemia, pregnancy, cancer, HIV infection, hepatitis, a history of Ebola virus, active tuberculosis, or Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease (CJD).<\/span><\/p>\n

If you have new <\/span>tattoos<\/span><\/a> (unless done in a state-regulated facility with sterile needles and non-reusable ink) or piercings (unless they were done with disposable, single-use equipment), you\u2019ll be required to wait three months.<\/span><\/p>\n

Previously, there were blood donation eligibility restrictions that prevented gay and bisexual men from donating. But the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) updated its <\/span>guidelines<\/span><\/a> on May 11, 2023. The current policy implements an individual risk assessment, which states that all donors, regardless of sexual orientation or gender, can\u2019t donate blood if any of the following statements regarding sexual contact are true:<\/span><\/p>\n