GIVING BLOOD: An act of citizenship
Blood is an irreplaceable asset, obtained through voluntary donation, as it cannot be produced artificially. Many patients need blood in order to achieve a better quality of life, and its availability is essential for life-threatening situations.
Requrements for blood donation:
- Age 18 years or above (up to 60 years for first time donors).
- Weight equal to or greater than 50kg
- Healthy lifestyle habits
Donating blood: is a simple and safe act, there is no risk of contracting diseases as all the material is disposable. Under normal conditions, donating blood takes about 30 minutes.
During this process, you should carry your ID card, you will be registered in the database and you will fill out and sign a detailed Consent Form. You will also be subject to a confidential screening appointment, where your hemoglobin and blood pressure will be measured and personal questions will be asked to ensure that the donation does not present health risks to the donor, as well as to guarantee the safety of the blood samples to be transfused to the patient.
Older than 65 years of age: People above 65 years of age may donate blood with the permission of the physician at the blood collected center. This permission is granted on an annual basis. It is advisable to document your state of health so that the selected qualified health professional can make an informed decision.
Donating blood in Portugal: Many of the rules regarding who can donate blood in Portugal are mandated by European legislation. However, a number of expert committees in the field regularly review the admission criteria for donations. Policies specifically related to the safety of blood, tissues, organs and cells are recommended to the government by IPST, IP, which, advised by expert committees, ensures that policies applied in all blood and transplantation services are based on the best available scientific evidence.
Donating blood more than once a year: You can repeat the donation without any inconvenience to your health and well-being as long as the defined time intervals between donations are respected. Men can donate blood 4 times a year and women 3 times a year, with a minimum interval of 2 months between donations.
Blood group: All blood groups are needed, even those that are more common. The rarity/neediness depends on the proportion of people who give and receive the same blood type (if you think that the most common group is A+, this group is also the most needed). It becomes important to remind oneself that you might need blood one day!
Not knowing your blood group is no impediment to applying for a blood donation: The following tests are performed on whole blood and apheresis units: blood group AB0 and Rh D and detection of the following infections: Hepatitis B (AgHbs), Hepatitis C (Anti-HCV), AIDS/Human Immunodeficiency Virus (Anti-HIV1/2) and Syphilis. However, additional analyses may be necessary in specific epidemiological situations.
Donor rights: The person who donates blood is entitled to the safeguarding of his/her physical and mental integrity and information on all relevant aspects related to blood donation; confidentiality of data; public recognition; not be subject to discrimination; exemption from the moderator fees granted by the provision of health care in the National Health Service (SNS), under the terms of the legislation in force; to donor insurance; to free access to parking in SNS establishments when donating blood and to be absent from his/her professional activities for the period of time necessary for the blood donation.
Post blood donation care: About 450ml, +/- 10% blood will be collected. Increased fluid (water) intake before and after donation is important to facilitate volume replacement. The proteins and blood cells in this volume are restored into circulation by the body. After performing a blood donation anyone can return to their normal occupation. However, some professional activities such as airline pilots, train drivers, divers, or working at high altitudes should not be performed in the hours following the donation. All recommendations will be provided to you by the qualified health professional accompanying you during the donation.
Undertaking activities after blood donation: There are certain professions and hobbies that involve hazardous activities (as assessed by the qualified health professional evaluating the donor) and it may be necessary to wait a minimum of 12 hours before resuming the activity.
At-risk professional occupations: You should consult the qualified healthcare professional in the blood establishment as this is a criterion for clinical evaluation. Although many occupations are exposed to a certain degree of risk, what is important to consider for blood donation is the potential exposure to infectious risk (working in wards, abattoirs, accidental exposure to diseases, blood or fluids, etc.). Therefore, although certain professions have an inherent risk, they may not in themselves be an impediment to blood donation, however during clinical screening any risk circumstances that may impede blood donations, should be identified.
Contracting diseases: There is no possibility of contracting diseases through blood donation as all the material used is sterile, disposable and only used once. All health professionals comply with the requirements of Safety best-practices.
Epilepsy: You should not be a candidate for blood donation if you have had repeated episodes of syncope, or a history of seizures (other than childhood seizures), or if at least 3 years have elapsed since you last took anticonvulsant medication without recurrence of seizures. You should consult the qualified healthcare professional at the blood establishment as this is one of the criteria for clinical evaluation.
Fibromyalgia: Fibromyalgia is a painful, non-inflammatory syndrome characterized by diffused muscle pains, fatigue, sleep disturbances and paresthesias. There is a disruption in pain processing for more than 3 months. If the donor's current medication does not contraindicate blood donation, and the donor feels well, he/she may give blood. You should consult the qualified healthcare professional at the blood establishment as this is one of the criteria for clinical evaluation.
Hypertension: High blood pressure is a risk factor for cardiovascular disease and the presence of said disease may condition the heart's response in the event of a blood donation. It is recommended that at the time of blood donation, blood pressure values should be between: Systolic, equal or greater than 100mmHg and equal or less than 180mmHg; Diastolic, equal or greater than 60mmHg and equal or less than 100mmHg. If you are on medication, you should consult the qualified healthcare professional in the blood establishment to assess your medical condition, the medication you are taking and when you started taking it.
Diabetes: You can give blood as long as your blood glucose (blood sugar) values are normal and you are not insulin dependent.
Cholesterol: You may apply for a blood donation and the qualified health professional will evaluate the existence of associated pathologies and the medication you are taking. The potential consequences of hypercholesterolemia, such as angina pectoris, stroke, amongst other conditions, may already limit one´s ability to donate blood.
Cancer: If you have had cancer, you should consult a qualified healthcare professional as this is a criteria for clinical evaluation.
Blood transfusions: If you received a transfusion before 1980 you may continue to donate blood. If you received a transfusion after 1980 you may not donate blood. The implementation of this criterion for the suspension of blood donation follows the risk of transmission of a variant of Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease (vCJD), also known as mad cow disease.
Surgery: You may donate blood 4 months after surgery if you have had no complications and have not received a blood transfusion. If complications have occurred (re-admission, impaired healing) you should contact the qualified healthcare professional of the blood establishment as this is one of the criteria for clinical evaluation.
Minor surgeries (mole extraction, laser, minor eye surgery): You may donate blood a minimum of 1 week later, provided you are asymptomatic.
Performance of medical tests: The performance of tests and/or examinations for diagnostic purposes and/or for therapeutic guidance contraindicate blood donation. As soon as you have the results of the tests and analyses performed, you may go to a blood collection point for clarification on your eligibility to donate blood.
Dental treatment: in case of scaling, braces adjustment, teeth whitening and polishing: blood may be given 24 hours after treatment and if asymptomatic. In case of tooth extraction, filling and suturing in the oral cavity, blood may be given a minimum of 1 week after termination of the treatment and only if asymptomatic.
Endoscopic examination (endoscopy, colonoscopy): you may donate blood 4 months after completion of the procedure.
Pregnancy: You cannot donate blood while you are pregnant. You can apply for a blood donation 6 months after giving birth. In case of pregnancy termination/abortion/ectopic pregnancy, you should consult the qualified healthcare professional in the blood establishment as it is one of the criteria for clinical evaluation. You may apply for a blood donation provided that your menstruation is not delayed and that you are not undergoing infertility screenings or treatment. If you are being evaluated or treated for infertility you should contact the qualified healthcare professional in the blood establishment as this is one of the criteria for clinical evaluation.
Breast-feeding: Blood donation during breast-feeding may reduce iron stores and affect the amount of iron in breast milk. Temporary suspension up to 3 months after breastfeeding. Suitable to proceed with donation if breastfeeding period is longer than 12 months.
Flu: If you exhibit flu-like symptoms (fever, cough and myalgias) or symptoms compatible with undetermined fever, between May 1st and October 31st of each year, you will be suspended for 28 days. Outside the aforementioned period, and in the presence of flu, you can apply for a blood donation 15 days later, as long as you are asymptomatic and not taking any medication.
Antidepressants: Antidepressants do not contraindicate blood donation as long as you feel well and have no associated symptoms (deep sadness, indifference, low self-esteem, desire to cry continually). If you are being medicated with more than two antidepressants, you should consult the qualified healthcare professional as this is one of the criteria for clinical evaluation
Antibiotic: Antibiotic medication requires an evaluation of the clinical condition, you should consult the qualified healthcare professional in the blood establishment to verify if you are eligible to donate blood.
Travel: For accurate reporting it is important to know where you have travelled or temporarily resided, for how long, and whether you have become ill (occurrence of symptoms during or after return). Contact or exposure to infectious agents, in a given geographical area, through travel or residence, may determine a deferral period for blood donation. You should contact the qualified health professional in the blood establishment.
Travel to Africa: Malaria is endemic in Africa and can cause a serious, though rare, infectious adverse reaction following transfusion. Therefore it should be assessed in the person applying for a blood donation:
- If you have lived in a malaria endemic area for at least six months continuously at any time in your life: a temporary suspension of 4 months after returning from the endemic area is applied, and you may subsequently be accepted for donation if the immunological test for malaria screening comes back negative.
- If you have a history (diagnosis) of malaria: a temporary deferral is applied for 3 years post completion of the treatment. After this period, if you are asymptomatic and the immunological test for malaria screening comes back negative you may be accepted for donation.
- If you have been an asymptomatic visitor from endemic areas: a 4-month deferral period is applied after returning from said endemic areas and you will be accepted for donation thereafter if the immunological test for malaria screening comes back negative. If the test is not performed the person in question may be accepted one year after return.
- If the person has had an undiagnosed febrile illness consistent with malaria, during or within six months of visiting an endemic zone: a 4-month deferral period is applied after returning from said endemic zone, where approval for blood donation is only granted thereafter in the absence of symptoms, and if the immunological test for malaria screening comes back negative.
Piercings/Tattoos: You can donate blood 4 months after getting a tattoo/piercing. Dyeing, stenciling and the use of transfers do not contraindicate blood donation.
Sexual partners: Sexual contact with a new person implies a suspension period of 3 months. All the blood units collected are, as required by law, screened for infectious diseases potentially transmissible by blood transfusion (Hepatitis B, Hepatitis C, Syphilis and Human Immunodeficiency Virus). There are certain practices or behaviors that may increase the risk of contracting infections. This personal risk assessment is carried out during clinical screening by the qualified health professional who analyses and determines the eligibility of the potential candidate for blood donation based on scientific evidence, European directives, current legislation and standards and taking into account the specific circumstances presented by the candidate applying to donate blood.
Menstrual period (menstruation): Menstrual periods do not contraindicate blood donation.
Sale of blood: The sale or commercialization of blood is prohibited by law. However, the collection, processing and laboratory tests carried out so that it can be transfused involve costs that public health institutions bear, in the case of private health institutions these costs are borne by the customer.
COVID-19 Positive: People who are candidates for donating blood and who have had COVID-19 should wait 14 days after their symptoms have cleared and they are clinically recovered.
Contact COVID-19 positive: High-risk contacts are suspended until the second negative test is performed on day 7 after being exposed to the infected person(s). Low-risk contacts are deferred until a negative test is performed by day the 3rd day after being exposed to the case.
COVID-19 (Pfizer or Moderna) vaccine: Donor candidates who have been vaccinated against COVID-19 with Pfizer (Cominarty) and Moderna (SpikeVax) mRNA vaccines may be accepted as blood donors, provided that they are well and asymptomatic.
COVID-19 vaccine (Janssen): For viral vector vaccines the 7 days deferral period post-vaccination is maintained. Donors presenting symptoms will be suspended for 7 days until their symptoms clear.
To register for the blood donation campaign, please register here.
For more information, consult the website of the Instituto Português do Sangue e da Transplantação.
