Blood Donor Center

Am I Eligible to Donate Blood?

The Children's National Blood Donor Center looks forward to implementing the new FDA guidance requiring an individual donor assessment (IDA) approach for donor screening process and new gender-inclusive questions for all individuals to determine blood donor eligibility. Due to an extensive computer system upgrade, we anticipate implementing the new IDA eligibility criteria in January of 2024. We realize that other regional blood centers have implemented the new guidance. We appreciate your patience and remain incredibly grateful to donors and prospective donors of all ages and backgrounds who understand the importance of life-saving blood donations and welcome them to our center.

COVID 19 vaccination: There is no waiting period after receiving a vaccine against COVID-19. Some people may have soreness, chills, low-grade fever and/or muscle aches after the shot. This is normal and is due to the immune system recognizing the vaccine. If you have symptoms, please wait until you have fully recovered before donating blood.

Past European residence: The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) changed some of the eligibility criteria for blood donation in 2022. Deferral rules with respect to past European residence (previously linked to variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease) were removed. As a result, some donors who were previously ineligible to donate may now be eligible. Our blood donor center implemented these new criteria at the end of September 2022.

Notice for platelet donors: Effective June 22, 2021, donors who have had a splenectomy (spleen removal) will not be eligible to donate platelets on our apheresis instruments (Trima Accel) due to a software change.

We recommend checking the further eligibility criteria page for more information prior to making an appointment.

Below is a brief overview of common temporary or permanent reasons that may prevent blood donation.

Eligibility

If you are eligible, call 202-476-KIDS to schedule an appointment to donate blood today.

Eligible

In order to donate blood you must meet these preliminary requirements:

Healthy and feeling well
Able to consume a full meal
Weigh more than 110 lbs

In order to donate platelets, you must meet these requirements and also not have taken aspirin with the past 2 days (48 hours). If you are unsure about eligibility, please read further eligibility criteria or call the Blood Donor Center at 202-476-5437.

Temporarily Ineligible

Permanently Ineligible

Possibly Ineligible

We recommend calling the Blood Donor Center for more information

If you had shots or vaccinations in the past 8 weeks.
If you have had a tattoo or ear/body piercing in the last 3 months. Note that this requirement varies by state. You must wait 3 months after obtaining a tattoo in Maryland, Pennsylvania or Washington, D.C. but there is no waiting period for Virginia and West Virginia as long as the tattoo site has healed properly.
If you had a major illness in the past 6 months.
If you traveled outside the U.S. or Canada in the past 3 years.
If you are taking other medications for chronic medical conditions.

If you are eligible, schedule an appointment to donate blood today.