Who can donate blood?
Video: Criteria for Blood Donation
In principle, any healthy person between the ages of 18 and 60 who weighs more than 50 kg can donate blood. Provided they are in good health, regular donors can continue to donate blood until they reach the age of 75.
To determine whether you are eligible to donate on the day of your appointment, you will be asked to fill out a medical questionnaire at the donor centre/blood drive or online. Your responses will be used by the medical staff to assess your eligibility to donate. Your blood pressure and pulse will also be measured for this purpose. Your finger will be pricked as well, to collect a drop of blood for a quick test to make sure that there is enough haemoglobin in your blood. Haemoglobin is the main constituent of red blood cells, where it is responsible for transporting oxygen to your tissues. You will not be allowed to donate if your haemoglobin level is too low.
Use our Donation Check tool to find out whether you can donate.
Note: the Donation Check tool is not fully accessible. For an alternative to this tool, see the information on exclusion criteria (ineligibility criteria) here.
Es gibt grundsätzlich folgende temporäre Ausschlussgründe für die Blutspende:
- Sie fühlen sich derzeit nicht gesund und haben Anzeichen einer Erkältung oder Fieber
- Sie haben in den letzten 4 Wochen Medikamente eingenommen, einen medizinischen Eingriff oder eine Impfung vorgenommen. Je nach Medikament oder Impfung ist eine ärztliche Abklärung nötig.
- Sie hatten in den letzten 14 Tagen eine dentalhygienische oder zahnärztliche Behandlung
- Sie haben in den letzten vier Monaten ein neues Piercing oder Tätowierung bekommen oder erhielten eine Akupunktur-Behandlung
- Sie waren in den letzten sechs Monaten ausserhalb der Schweiz
- Sie hatten in den vergangenen 12 Monaten sexuelle Kontakte mit wechselnden Partnerinnen oder Partnern oder eine neue Parterin oder neuen Partner in den letzten 4 Monaten
Holidays and blood donation: Travel Check
Have you been on a holiday recently? Depending on your destination, you may have to wait a while before you can donate blood again, because there is a higher risk of catching an infectious disease in some countries. You can easily check the waiting periods using our Travel Check tool.
Go to the Travel Check tool about Holidays and blood donation: Travel CheckVaccine Check
Have you been vaccinated recently? After receiving certain vaccinations, people have to wait for a certain period before they are eligible to donate blood again. Our Vaccine Check tool offers a quick and easy way for you to find out whether you are currently eligible to donate.
Go to the Vaccine Check tool about Vaccine CheckQuick review of the key criteria for blood donation
Below is a summary of the most important eligibility criteria for blood donation; you will be asked about all the criteria at your blood donation appointment. It is very important that you answer all the questions truthfully, because blood can carry viruses and other pathogens. While not dangerous for healthy people, these pathogens can pose a risk for people with weaker immune systems. Naturally, all blood transfusion service personnel are bound by medical confidentiality, so you can rest assured that your information will be kept confidential.
1. Good overall state of health
You should feel fit and well at the time of the blood donation.
2. Age restrictions: 18–60 for first-time donors
First-time donors must be between the ages of 18 and 60. Regular donors can continue to donate until they reach the age of 75. Because the risk of cardiovascular diseases can increase after someone reaches the age of 65, the health of donors between the ages of 65 and 75 must be checked regularly by a doctor from the regional blood transfusion service.
3. Minimum body weight: 50 kg
The amount of blood collected must not exceed 13% of a person’s total blood volume. This cannot be guaranteed in the case of a donor weighing under 50 kg.
4. No surgical procedures or childbirth in the last 12 months
After a visit to the dentist – to have your teeth cleaned, for instance – you must wait 24 hours before you are eligible to donate again, because small injuries to the gums can enable bacteria to enter the bloodstream.
In the cases of other dental or medical procedures, cosmetic or otherwise, and pregnancy, the waiting period may be several days, weeks or even months, depending on the procedure/condition and medications.
5. No higher-risk situations
Statistically speaking, certain forms of behaviour are associated with an increased risk of the transmission of infectious diseases, e.g.
- Sexual contact with multiple partners in succession or with persons one has known for less than 4 months, persons who have tested positive for HIV or persons who have syphilis, hepatitis B, C or E.
- Previous or current injection drug use
6. Four-month waiting period in the case of a new Partner
Despite the extremely sensitive tests available these days, there is still a very small risk of the transmission of a blood-borne disease. The key factor here is the diagnostic window or window period, which is the length of time between the possible transmission of an infectious disease and the point at which it can be detected in the blood. The tests cannot detect the pathogen during this period, and hence, there is a risk to the recipient.
7. No use of certain medications
For more specific information, please contact your regional blood transfusion service.
8. Waiting periods after returning from a country classified as a risk area for specific infectious diseases
In many countries, there is an increased risk of the transmission of an infectious disease like malaria or the West Nile disease. Waiting periods are required upon return from certain countries so as to eliminate, as far as possible, the risk of transmitting a disease to transfusion recipients.
9. No new tattoo or piercing within the last four months
Minor injuries can occur when a person gets a tattoo or a piercing. These can create a way for bacteria or viruses to enter the bloodstream. Thus, to rule out the possibility of any inflammation or infection, a four-month waiting period applies.
Blood donation questionnaire
You will find more detailed information in the questionnaire for blood donors. If you have any questions or if you are unsure whether you meet the donation criteria, please contact your regional blood transfusion service.
Be aware, though, that it is not possible to fill out the questionnaire online or print out the sample questionnaire and fill it out.
Sample questionnaire (in German, fully accessible)
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