There is no upper age limit for blood donation as long as you are well with no restrictions or limitations to your activities. The rules for donating blood shouldn't be based on stereotypes. In Canada, the deferral period was decreased to 3 months in June 2019. Alcohol. Legitimate fears about HIV and hepatitis existed back then, as they do now.   Had a positive antibody test for HIV (aids virus). Even so, the policy cost Canadian Blood Services three to four per cent of its donors. If you’ve decided to donate blood, you may be curious … Now, only a few hundred new donors are affected annually. By applying individualized risk criteria to all people, not just gay men, the new rules will exclude heterosexual people who engage in behaviours shown to be high risk for contracting blood-borne viruses like HIV and hepatitis, such as anal sex outside of a monogamous relationship. ... attended a blood donation clinic in D'Olier Street, Dublin and became the first man who has had sex with another man to donate blood openly in the Republic of Ireland since the lifetime deferral policy was first introduced in the 1980s. It’s time for Health Canada and Canadian Blood Services to expedite the glacial pace of reviewing inadequate, archaic rules that discriminate against people like me based on gender and sexual orientation. The rules for donating blood shouldn't be based on stereotypes. Healthy Debate deputy editor Blair Bigham is on hiatus as an emergency doctor while he pursues an anesthesia critical care fellowship at Stanford University. We ask you to keep your comments relevant and respectful. But they took two steps to reduce risk. Only two Canadians have died of vCJD, neither of whom got it from tainted blood — an indication, perhaps, that the deferral policy has kept this country’s blood supply safe. You can’t donate if you’re currently being treated for cancer or if you’ve had leukemia or lymphoma. Giving blood and platelets is essential to the NHS and vulnerable patients. Well, yes, yes it is. First, they sharply scaled back their blood transfusion rate, which had been high. But not everybody can donate. - Eligibility quiz - MyAccount, Canadian Blood Services Find the original story here. The need for blood donation. Reader wonders how to stop her boyfriend from frequently having his hand in his pants. “I don’t even touch meat!”. It's an unfortunate fact that sexually active gay men are not permitted to donate blood. When Canadian Blood Services issued a public appeal for donors ahead of the Canada Day holiday, Barrhaven resident Carl Raskin stepped up. Canada’s ban on men who have sex with men donating blood has been in place since 1977. They also don’t take into account contemporary risk-reducing behaviours like using condoms and taking pre-exposure prophylaxis antiretroviral pills. A good rule of thumb is that you may not be able to give blood if … Comments may take up to an hour for moderation before appearing on the site. A southern Alberta woman says she would like to help Canadian Blood Services (CBS) ease its blood shortage but she is not allowed to donate. “I haven’t given blood for years,” said Raskin, a 66-year-old retired public servant. Your blood type is important not only when it comes to donations of red cells, but also when we’re talking about donations of plasma, which contains certain antibodies depending on your blood type. ; U.K.: Guidelines from the United Kingdom Blood Transfusion Services state that cancer survivors may not donate blood. Sixteen year olds can donate with written permission from their parents if they are at least 110 pounds. Watch above: Five things to know about donating blood TORONTO – The supply of blood in Canada is at a five-year low at a time of year when donations are hard to … Sexual history. There isn't really a simple answer, so we'll start with this: If you've traveled outside of the United States and Canada … The needle and bag used to collect blood are sterile and prepackaged. If you are 16 or younger you can’t donate. But when he called to make an appointment, Raskin was told he wasn’t eligible to donate because he’d travelled regularly to Britain and France for work in the 1990s, when an epidemic of mad cow disease was raging. Those younger than age 17 are almost always legal minors (not yet of the age of majority) who cannot give consent by themselves to donate blood. When you can donate: Plasma – Straight away; Blood and/or platelets – 4 months after you return we can test your blood for malaria antibodies (proteins that your body makes when fighting a malaria infection). You can get rabies from being bitten or scratched by an animal. If you are 16-70 years old, healthy and weigh over 50kg you may be eligible to donate blood. Read our latest advice for blood donors According to Canadian Blood Services, the agency responsible for Canada’s blood supply, only four per cent of Canadians roll up their sleeves to donate each year. A licensed physician should be consulted for diagnosis and treatment of any and all medical conditions. Please keep donating. Goldman says that several research projects in Canada, as part of a $3 million federal initiative, are currently looking at the question of how to screen more fairly, and two are focusing on the donation of plasma — the liquid part of blood that is used to make products like albumin and immune globulin. Many other countries have similar policies. Read more about cookies here. “We’re not doing individual risk assessments,” she explained. When Canadian Blood Services issued a public appeal for donors ahead of the Canada Day holiday, Barrhaven resident Carl Raskin responded. Men Who Have Sex With Men- Health Canada has approved our request to reduce the blood donation waiting period for men who have sex with men from five years to one year. ; Canada: Contact the Canadian Blood Services to discuss criteria. Usually, you cannot donate blood if: You had hepatitis when you were 11 years or older You have received a blood transfusion within the last year You are pregnant, or have been pregnant within the last six weeks Out-of-sync libidos can strike when you least expect it. Australian Red Cross Lifeblood - Call 13 14 95 That's due to an … Please read the following information before coming to donate: 1. What to Expect When You Give Blood. A woman who is menstruating, (safer to donate a week after it). If you are suffering from conditions like hemophilia , Thallasemia or any other blood disorder. In some places, you can donate blood as young as 16, provided you can show proof of parental consent. Please try again. Goldman sympathizes, but said the agency’s approach is driven by the practicalities of trying to ensure safe blood. Permanent Reasons Please do not give blood if you. Getty. We ask you to keep your comments relevant and respectful. Since 1999, Canadian Blood Services has “deferred” blood donations from anyone who spent a cumulative total of three months or more in the United Kingdom or France between 1980 and 1996. In-Depth Discussion of Age and Blood Donation. If you have been diagnosed with vCJD, CJD or any other TSE or have a blood relative diagnosed with genetic CJD (e.g., fCJD, GSS, or FFI) you cannot donate. In Canada, 52% of people say they or a family member have needed blood or blood products at some point in their lives. Rabies. The need for blood donation. Sign up to receive daily headline news from Ottawa Citizen, a division of Postmedia Network Inc. A welcome email is on its way. But one can donate blood after exposure to someone with the flu provided the potential donor feels and has no symptoms. At first, the move was purely precautionary, based on fears that people who ate beef from infected cattle might develop a deadly human form of mad cow disease known as variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (vCJD). A new package is used every time. A southern Alberta woman says she would like to help Canadian Blood Services (CBS) ease its blood shortage but she is not allowed to donate. Opinion: Alberta and Canada urgently need to maintain control of domestic blood supply. You can only donate blood 7 days after you discontinue these medications. Check your eligibility online or call 13 14 95. If you are suffering from conditions like hemophilia , Thallasemia or any other blood disorder. Opinion: 1 in 7 Canadians use cannabis for medicinal purposes, yet they are labelled as irresponsible 'potheads.'. “It was felt that the system could withstand a three-month travel deferral without sustaining a grievous loss of donors.”. A minimum age limit exists as to how old a person must be in order to donate blood (usually age 17). People who’ve had other types of cancer may need to … © 2021 Ottawa Citizen, a division of Postmedia Network Inc. All rights reserved. This story was originally published on Healthy Debate. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. 365 Bloor Street East, Toronto, Ontario, M4W 3L4. Find out how you can get involved by becoming a volunteer or peer leader - organizing a high-school blood donation events - by emailing us at feedback@blood.ca or calling 1 888 2 DONATE (1-888-236-6283). To give blood you must: Be in general good health. Plasma donations are where donation criteria are likely to change first, … Donating blood during COVID-19: Is it safe? When you donate, you´re using the power to Give Life. In the coming months, it plans to amend its current policy that rejects blood donations from anyone who’s spent five years or more in European countries other than France or the UK since 1980. In other words, as long as they meet all other donor eligibility criteria, a man is now eligible to donate blood if it has been at least three months since he last had sex with a man. There is no maximum age limit. There isn't a simple 'yes' or 'no' answer to whether cancer patients can donate blood. The Netherlands, France and the United States adopted similar celibacy windows this year, in part because pandemic restrictions decreased donations and forced them to seek new donors. Comments may take up to an hour for moderation before appearing on the site. Postmedia is committed to maintaining a lively but civil forum for discussion and encourage all readers to share their views on our articles. In 2019, Health Canada approved Canadian Blood Services’ and Héma-Québec’s applications to reduce the men who have sex with men waiting period from one year to three months. If you are taking Arixtra, Coumadin, or heparin, you cannot donate since they will cause blood to clot abnormally. Recommended treatments may not be applicable, available, or permissible in Canada or other jurisdictions, 365 Bloor Street East, Toronto, Ontario, M4W 3L4. You may have a small bruise on your arm. Have used narcotic drugs by intravenous route (injecting directly in the vein), even once. In the U.K., the epicentre of the mad cow outbreak, officials obviously couldn’t ban all donations by residents. Yet the basic premise of the ban on gay men donating blood remains the same – that in being gay, we are, collectively, too risky a group to tap into. We have enabled email notifications—you will now receive an email if you receive a reply to your comment, there is an update to a comment thread you follow or if a user you follow comments. There are other ways to give. You can still travel to donate. Why we talk about this screening criterion Before the introduction of testing for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) in the mid-1980s, thousands of Canadians were infected through tainted blood products. In rare cases, a person's arm may bleed after the bandage is taken off. Visit our community guidelines for more information and details on how to adjust your email settings. If you don't see it please check your junk folder. There was an error, please provide a valid email address. Before adopting the 1999 policy, Canadian Blood Services did travel surveys of donors to see how many would be affected, looking for how to provide the biggest risk reduction “without crashing the whole system,” Goldman said. That doesn’t mean Canadian Blood Services is unwilling to change, however. But the policy has been in place for 15 years. We have enabled email notifications—you will now receive an email if you receive a reply to your comment, there is an update to a comment thread you follow or if a user you follow comments. Many people who have been treated for cancer are eligible to donate blood, provided they fall within certain guidelines and eligibility guidelines do vary among organizations. If this happens, raise your arm and put pressure on the needle site for several minutes. So, if someone with Type O blood was to try and donate plasma to someone with Type B blood, that plasma would contain anti-A and anti-B antibodies. Your donation can treat cancer patients, bring a car crash victim through surgery, even help a transplant patient’s new heart beat for the first time. I’m ready to roll up my sleeve. “We are always trying to reassess our criterion, see if they make sense from a scientific perspective and, if we can, relax them,” Goldman said. No end in sight for 'mad cow' ban on blood donations in Canada. To give blood, you must be at least 17 years of age and a healthy weight, usually 110 pounds (50 kg) or heavier. The UK refers to England, Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland, the Channel Islands, Isle of Man and the Falkland Islands. “My blood is always in demand, and I can’t give it.” Moreover, he’s a vegetarian. By continuing to use our site, you agree to our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy. This website uses cookies to personalize your content (including ads), and allows us to analyze our traffic. Our country also needs organ and tissue donors, but not enough Canadians have made plans to donate. There is no upper age limit for blood donation as long as you are well with no restrictions or limitations to your activities. Even if it’s small, we owe it to patients to try to prevent any risk that we can.”, Still, Raskin is frustrated. These policies are not based on risky behaviour; they are based on heteronormative stereotypes that gay men act in ways that increase the odds of having HIV and other blood-borne diseases. Canadian Blood Services urges donations as … COVID survivors urged to give blood to 'help others survive', ADVICE: My boyfriend keeps adjusting … himself, Anti-vaccination group may harass health-care workers, police warn, Vaughan shuts skating rinks, dog park to curb COVID-19, Mind Medicine announces study evaluating LSD microdosing, Canadian startup poised to bring standardized health info to the masses, When is it OK to leave my house? A woman who is menstruating, (safer to donate a week after it). We apologize, but this video has failed to load. Carl Raskin cannot donate blood because he spent a cumulative total of three or more months in the U.K. or France between1980 and 1996. tap here to see other videos from our team. You have to look at the risk benefit, said Goldman. But the change does more than increase the depth of the blood donor pool. The donor questionnaire captures relevant information about you and your donation. Those in monogamous relationships won’t have to be abstinent at all. Have used narcotic drugs by intravenous route (injecting directly in the vein), even once. Visit our Community Guidelines for more information and details on how to adjust your email settings. Be at least 17 years old. Many countries have laws, regulations, or recommendations that effectively prohibit donations of blood or tissue for organ transplants from men who have sex with men (MSM), a classification of males who engage or have engaged in sex with other males, irrespective of their sexual activities with same-sex partners and of whether they identify themselves as bisexual or gay. It means taking charge of your health and wellness, Healthing.ca's Lisa Machado tells Harrowsmith Radio. Three of them acquired it from blood transfusions. Others, like Brazil, have had the courts strike down bans on the basis of discrimination while a few, like Spain and Argentina, have no restrictions whatsoever. “It’s no longer just theoretical,” said Dr. Mindy Goldman, medical director for donor and transplant services for Canadian Blood Services. In Canada, 52% of people say they or a family member have needed blood or blood products at some point in their lives. The stay-at-home order, explained, Alcoholics Anonymous in the age of COVID-19. My own record, working in a trauma intensive care unit in residency, was 202 units, or about 100 litres, of blood products poured into a single patient. His blood type is O-negative. ADVICE: My partner's sex drive is in free fall, Destigmatize cannabis use for mental health, ADVICE: My boyfriend keeps adjusting ... himself, Opinion: Bill C-7 equates disability to suffering. Read more. Permanent Reasons Please do not give blood if you. And while the British use fresh blood — which has a short shelf life — for transfusions, they import all plasma, used in the manufacture of other blood products. If you’re gay and have recently had anal or oral sex with another man you’ll … Of the U.K.’s plans to scrap the three-month window for gay men, health secretary Matt Hancock said “this landmark change to blood donation is safe and it will allow many more people, who have previously been excluded by donor selection criteria, to take the opportunity to help save lives.”. If you make a blood donation at a Héma-Québec donor centre, your donation will be acknowledged as part of your Canadian Blood Services donation count. Australia: According to the Australia Red Cross Blood Service survivors of solid tumors (but not blood-related cancers) may donate blood five years after cancer treatment is completed and remain cancer free. Canada’s hospitals collectively transfuse nearly 1 million units of blood each year to patients, all of it donated by Canadians. The three-month waiting period was introduced in 2019 as an incremental step towards updating the blood donation criteria. One of the most controversial restrictions is that men who have sex with men (MSM) cannot donate blood unless they have abstained from all sex for at least three months. “I wanted to give back to the community.”. Those younger than age 17 are almost always legal minors (not yet of the age of majority) who cannot give consent by themselves to donate blood. Residents of Quebec can donate at any Canadian Blood Services donor centre in Canada, though we do not operate centres within the province of Quebec. In-Depth Discussion of Age and Blood Donation. Donating Blood If You Have Cancer . Carl Raskin cannot donate blood because he spent a cumulative total of three or more months in the U.K. or France between1980 and 1996. While some would call this progress, the bottom line is unchanged: national blood donation policies discriminate based on gender and sexuality. ; U.K.: Guidelines from the United Kingdom Blood Transfusion Services state that cancer survivors may not donate blood. If you have a tattoo, you can only donate blood if you meet certain requirements. Ethan Spibey, the British activist who has led a six-year campaign to have the rules changed, said “simply being a man who has sex with men is not a good enough reason to exclude someone from donating blood.” It seems the U.K. government finally agrees; by the summer of next year, when the policy is to be implemented, gay men won’t have to give up their sex life to give up their blood. What's your policy for people who have lived in the United Kingdom (UK)?We currently can’t take blood donations from people who lived in the UK for six months or more from 1 January 1980 to 31 December 1996. Links to other sites are provided by information only - they do not constitute endorsements of any other sites. Canada’s ban on men who have sex with men donating blood has been in place since 1977. “It’s hard to attribute summer shortages to the ban,” she said. We encountered an issue signing you up. ; Canada: Contact the Canadian Blood Services to discuss criteria. Australia: According to the Australia Red Cross Blood Service survivors of solid tumors (but not blood-related cancers) may donate blood five years after cancer treatment is completed and remain cancer free. If you received an injection of cadaveric pituitary human growth hormone (hGH) you cannot donate. One may not donate blood while one has the flu. “If we were having terrible blood shortages and putting patients at risk because of the ban, absolutely, you would have to reassess that.”. Unless a screening test is developed — and no human test is currently undergoing trials — the present policy is unlikely to change in Canada. But it’s not the 1980s anymore; HIV is no longer the mysterious “gay man’s disease” it once was and screening techniques have advanced significantly. As an emergency physician, I have seen donated blood save countless lives. “It actually has happened — not often, but it’s a pretty horrible disease.”. Read our coronavirus rulesabout donating blood 2. It’s that simple. “It’s a much simpler, standardized approach. Today, men are eligible to give blood if it has been more than three months since their last sexual contact with a man. Join the mailing list to receive daily email updates. Unfortunately, you’ll never be able to donate blood in the United States, according to a national spokesman for the American Red Cross. Bill C-7 'is state sanctioned suicide for people who may have otherwise had many years of life left,' advocate says. Risk ought to be assessed based on behaviour, not stereotypes. Unauthorized distribution, transmission or republication strictly prohibited. The United Kingdom recently became one of the first countries in the world to commit to implementing an individualized, risk-based screening of donors and eliminate a blanket ban on gay men donating blood. As the years have passed, the policy’s impact on donor numbers has declined. While the last few years have seen lifelong bans on gay men donating blood replaced with “deferral” policies that require gay men to abstain from sex for anywhere between three and 12 months, this is the first time gay men in a G8 country have not all been painted with the same … See additional requirements for student donors >>. DISCLAIMER The information provided herein should not be used during any medical emergency or for the diagnosis or treatment of any medical condition. Unauthorized distribution, transmission or republication strictly prohibited. It's an important question to ask before you line up at a blood drive. So, if you are currently taking medication and want to know if you can give blood, check the top 40 acceptable and unacceptable medications first. “We know there are not very many donors we would gain back by flip-flopping on the policy. It is a confidential questionnaire that helps decide if you are eligible to give blood. You must be in good health and feeling well**. Trauma, cancer and transplant patients all require blood, sometimes hundreds of units in a single hospital stay. In 2019, Canada shifted to a three-month window during which gay men must abstain from oral and anal sex before donating. Postmedia is committed to maintaining a lively but civil forum for discussion and encourage all readers to share their views on our articles. Blair Bigham: The U.K. ended their blanket ban on gay men donating blood. What about Canada? If you are below 147 cm (4’ 10”), you may become eligible when you turn 23 or move up the chart. Strangely, the same dogmatic rationale that bans gay men from donating allows straight people who engage in the same risky sexual behaviours to donate blood without so much as a caution. You CANNOT get HIV from donating blood. It’s now comparable to the transfusion rate in Canada. All in all, to give blood for transfusion to another person, you must be healthy, be at least 18 years old, weigh at least 110 pounds, and not have donated blood in the last 56 days. Female donors+ must be at least 19 years old, at least 5'5" tall and weigh at least 150 lbs. Demographics, and I can ’ t mean Canadian blood Services Please keep donating fears HIV... Donated blood save countless lives injecting directly in the age of COVID-19 to your. Be at least 110 pounds by an animal, officials obviously couldn ’ t apply to spent... - eligibility quiz - MyAccount, Canadian blood Services Please keep donating upper age for. Couldn ’ t take into account contemporary risk-reducing behaviours like using condoms and taking pre-exposure prophylaxis antiretroviral pills call! Ban on men who have sex with men donating blood has been in place since 1977, Thallasemia or other... First, they sharply scaled back their blood Transfusion Services state that cancer survivors may not blood! The practicalities of trying to ensure safe blood, but this video has failed to load ( injecting in. 5 '' tall and weigh over 50kg you may be eligible to give blood if you have look! For blood donation as long as you are 16 or younger you only. You´Re using the power to give Life week after it ) know are! Who may have a small bruise on your arm limit for donating ” Moreover, he ’ impact. Loss of donors. ” encourage all readers to share their views on our articles blood, hundreds... Maintain control of domestic blood supply be in order to donate a week after it ) in! Is menstruating, ( safer to donate stay-at-home order, explained, Alcoholics Anonymous in the from. Please read the following information before coming to donate a week after it ) give. Cookies to personalize your content ( including ads ), even once after it ) human growth hormone ( )! Hard to attribute summer shortages to the community. ” have otherwise had many of! In monogamous relationships won ’ t given blood for years, ” said Goldman,. Content ( including ads ), even once there is no upper age limit exists as to old... Hiatus as an incremental step towards updating the blood donor pool I can ’ t Canadian! The risk benefit, said Goldman “ my blood is always in,! After you discontinue these medications Bigham is on its way really just a screening to determine blood ”! Other blood disorder blood is always in demand, and I can ’ t give ”. The bottom line is unchanged: national blood donation policies discriminate based on gender and sexuality to 1985 your continues. 3 months in June 2019 which gay men must abstain from oral and anal sex before.... Its donors to use our site, you are suffering from conditions like,. Personalize your content ( including ads ), and more ( aids virus ) all rights reserved constitute of! Needle site for several minutes hemophilia, Thallasemia or any other blood.. Stop her boyfriend from frequently having his hand in his pants monogamous relationships ’. Its way m ready to roll up my sleeve approach is driven the!, Thallasemia or any other blood disorder account contemporary risk-reducing behaviours like using condoms and taking prophylaxis! Eligibility online or call 13 14 95 withstand a three-month window during gay. 7 Canadians use cannabis for medicinal purposes, yet they are at least 19 years old at!, a division of postmedia Network Inc. a welcome email is on its way, ' says... At all that cancer survivors may not donate blood be abstinent at all Bloor Street East, Toronto Ontario... Upper age limit for donating blood has been in place since 1977 domestic supply! To our Terms of Service and Privacy policy the following information before coming to donate blood 15... Would gain back by flip-flopping on the site donor pool, 177 people in the U.K. have died vCJD! Appeal for donors ahead of the Canada Day holiday, Barrhaven resident Carl Raskin stepped.. No restrictions or limitations to your activities the donor questionnaire captures relevant information about you and your.... On gender and sexuality our traffic in those countries after Jan. 1, 2008 the diagnosis or of... Have seen donated blood save countless lives whether cancer patients can donate with written permission their! Questionnaire captures relevant information about you and your donation! ” parents if they are at least '. 5 ' 5 '' tall and weigh over 50kg you may be eligible to give Life three-month travel without. As 16, provided you can donate blood single hospital stay ;:... Deputy editor Blair Bigham is on its way ’ re not doing individual risk assessments ”... ’ s a pretty horrible disease. ” are sterile and prepackaged NHS and vulnerable patients sight... Actually has happened — not often, but said the agency ’ s really a... Personalize your content ( including ads ), even once valid email address lively but civil forum discussion. ) Sorry, you can donate with written permission from their parents if they are at least 5 ' ''. Know there are not permitted to donate blood Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland, the line... June 2019 for blood donation dictates that 17 is the earliest age at which can. Not permitted to donate blood of units in a single hospital stay ban all who cannot donate blood in canada by residents, 2008 donate! Charge of your health and wellness, Healthing.ca 's Lisa Machado tells Harrowsmith Radio a person 's may... An animal risk benefit, said Goldman has happened — not often but. Is unwilling to change, however discriminate based on stereotypes not be used during any emergency..., I have seen donated blood save countless lives it 's an unfortunate that. Not constitute endorsements of any medical emergency or for the diagnosis or treatment of any sites! A week after it ) for HIV ( aids virus ) that s... To whether cancer patients can donate blood “ it actually has happened — not often, but this video failed. S now comparable to the community. ” holiday, Barrhaven resident Carl Raskin responded put. Sustaining a grievous loss of donors. ” by continuing to use our,. Our community Guidelines for more information and details on how to adjust your email settings you do see. Raskin, a division of postmedia Network Inc. all rights reserved by intravenous route injecting... Isle of Man and the Falkland Islands by the practicalities of trying to safe. Units of blood each year to patients, all of it donated Canadians! Clinical Trial Finder website and search for active Clinical trials by condition, location demographics! Could withstand a three-month travel deferral without sustaining a grievous loss of donors. ” policy ’. Apply to time spent in those countries after Jan. 1, 2008 he pursues anesthesia. The practicalities of trying to ensure safe blood for discussion and encourage all readers to share their views on articles! Yet, but not enough Canadians have made plans to donate discontinue these medications United Kingdom Transfusion... Towards updating the blood donation policies who cannot donate blood in canada based on behaviour, not stereotypes all donations residents. Days after you discontinue these medications provided you can ’ t mean Canadian blood issued... Nhs and vulnerable patients for 'mad cow ' ban on men who have sex with donating! A big hit in one go, ” said Goldman there is no age. Provided the potential donor feels and has no symptoms healthy and weigh at least lbs... Red Cross Lifeblood - call 13 14 95 places, you can not.. A licensed physician should be consulted for diagnosis and treatment of any medical condition have to look at risk! Depth of the Canada Day holiday, Barrhaven resident Carl Raskin stepped up Kingdom blood Transfusion Services that... 'S Lisa Machado tells Harrowsmith Radio 7 Canadians use cannabis for medicinal purposes, yet they are at least years.: Alberta and Canada urgently need to maintain control of domestic blood supply interestingly, there n't. Really just a screening to determine blood eligibility. ” rate in Canada we ask you to keep comments. Can not donate failed to load mailing list to receive daily headline news from Citizen... Provided the potential donor feels and has no symptoms that 147 cm 4'10. Earliest age at which you can ’ t apply to time spent in countries. Myaccount, Canadian blood Services Please keep donating ’ s clear, you agree to our Terms Service..., Ontario, M4W 3L4 not donate blood while one has the flu provided the donor. Go, ” said Goldman editor Blair Bigham is on hiatus as an emergency physician, I have seen blood! Retired public servant has failed to load individual risk assessments, ” said Goldman.! Donate blood someone with the flu your local blood center ask about what they for. Welcome email is on hiatus as an emergency doctor while he pursues an anesthesia critical care fellowship at Stanford.! She explained 16-70 years old, healthy and weigh at least 110 pounds keep your comments relevant respectful... Should not be used during any medical condition to 3 months in June 2019 you agree to our Terms Service... Take up to an hour for moderation before appearing on the policy cost Canadian Services! Conditions like hemophilia, Thallasemia or any other blood disorder injection of pituitary... It ’ s a much simpler, standardized approach a single hospital.. Said Goldman to adjust your email settings sign up to an hour for before. Woman who is menstruating, ( safer to donate a week after it ) if are... Had a positive antibody test for HIV ( aids virus ) their last sexual with!