Plasma Donation Eligibility Guide: Who Can and Can't Donate
Quick answer: most healthy adults between 18 and 69, weighing at least 110 pounds, can donate plasma in the US. What actually keeps people out is a short list: certain medical conditions, a few permanent infections, current pregnancy, recent tattoos or piercings, and same-day issues like low iron or blood pressure.
That's the short answer. Here's the longer one.
Eligibility runs on three layers of rules
Plasma donation eligibility is built on three layers, and each can be stricter than the one above it.
The FDA sets the federal floor in 21 CFR 630.15: physical exam requirements, frequency limits, and permanent deferrals for certain infections. The PPTA (Plasma Protein Therapeutics Association) adds voluntary industry standards on top. Then each chain (BioLife, CSL Plasma, Octapharma, Grifols, KEDPLASMA) layers its own policies. Two centers in the same city can have different rules. Final eligibility is determined by center medical personnel at your donation center.
The baseline requirements
To donate at almost any US center, you need to meet these basics:
Age 18 or older. A few states allow 17 with parental consent. Most centers cap at around 69, though some go higher with medical clearance.
At least 110 pounds. Collection volume scales with body weight; smaller donors can't safely give the minimum useful volume.
Government-issued photo ID and proof of current address.
Social Security number for tax reporting and tracking against the National Donor Deferral Registry.
A passing same-day screening. Hematocrit, total protein, blood pressure, pulse, and temperature are all checked at every visit.
The screening is where most deferrals happen. A 2022 analysis found that 28.3% of deferrals were due to blood pressure or pulse issues, and 16% were due to low red blood cell counts. Medication use accounted for less than 1%.
What permanently disqualifies you
A short list rules out donation indefinitely:
Positive HIV, Hepatitis B, or Hepatitis C test
Ever having had Ebola
Receiving a dura mater (brain covering), animal organ, or living animal tissue transplant
Ever receiving human pituitary growth hormone (mostly a historical concern)
Use of injected non-prescription drugs (some chains treat this as permanent)
CJD (Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease) risk factors are also permanent. If a doctor has ever told you that you can't donate, that finding usually follows you across centers via the National Donor Deferral Registry.
What's a temporary deferral
Most of what stops people is temporary. The clock resets and you can come back.
Recent tattoo or piercing. Most centers require a 4-month wait to cover the incubation period for bloodborne infections.
Pregnancy. No donating while pregnant. After giving birth, the wait is typically 6 weeks to 6 months. Breastfeeding policies vary by center.
Acute illness. Cold, flu, COVID, fever, or any active infection means waiting until you're fully recovered.
Antibiotics for an active infection. Usually 24 hours past the last dose, assuming the underlying infection is resolved.
Travel to malaria-risk areas. Deferral length depends on the country and how long you were there. The FDA lifted the older Mad Cow Disease restrictions in 2022, so European travel no longer triggers a deferral.
Recent surgery or dental work. Wait times vary by procedure.
Same-day issues. Low hematocrit, abnormal blood pressure, dehydration, or insufficient protein can all cause a one-day deferral. Most are fixable for next time.
Medications: less restrictive than people assume
The medication list trips up a lot of would-be donors, but the actual disqualifying list is shorter than rumors suggest. Most prescriptions are fine.
The medications that do cause problems:
Blood thinners (warfarin, Coumadin, heparin, Eliquis, Xarelto) defer you while you're taking them.
Isotretinoin (Accutane) requires a month-long wait after your last dose.
Dutasteride (Avodart) has a 6-month deferral.
Finasteride (Proscar, Propecia) has a 1-month deferral.
Bovine insulin (rarely used now) is a permanent deferral.
Statins, oral contraceptives, ADHD medications, antidepressants, blood pressure medications, and most allergy medications do not affect eligibility. Disclose everything during screening and let the center make the call.
When chain policies diverge
The same medication or condition can clear at one chain and defer at another:
IUD and Nexplanon insertions get short deferrals at some chains, not others.
Recent piercing waits range from 4 to 12 months by state and chain.
Some chains accept donors over 69 with a physician's letter; others have a hard cutoff.
If you've been deferred at one center, that usually carries to others through the national registry. But if you're declined for a chain-specific reason rather than a federal one, asking about other chains in your area can be worth it.
Bottom line
Most healthy adults qualify. The hard disqualifiers are a short list. The bigger eligibility risk is failing the same-day screening, usually for iron, hydration, or blood pressure. Disclose everything honestly at intake, hydrate well, eat protein and iron-rich foods, and the system mostly works in your favor. When in doubt, call the center before you drive over.