Transfusion medicine handbook

2. Collection, Testing and Processing of Blood Donation

2.2 Donor Selection Criteria

The donor selection process contributes significantly to the safety of the donor pool and the blood supply:

• New whole blood donors are accepted from their 16th birthday up to their 71st birthday. Established donors (those who have donated in the previous two years) can donate up to their 81st birthday. Donors from their 75^th to 81^st birthdays may be accepted subject to authorisation by an NZBS Medical Officer.
• Donors must be in good health and weigh more than 50 kg. This helps to ensure that the process of donation is not detrimental to the donor’s health.
• At each donation the donor completes a detailed health questionnaire and signs a declaration that the health information provided is correct.
• The donor’s haemoglobin level is checked each time they donate.
• The donor’s completed medical history is evaluated by a suitably qualified health professional and the donor accepted or deferred accordingly.
• One of the aims of donor screening is to protect recipients from blood-borne infectious disease (such as bacterial sepsis, HIV, hepatitis B and C syphilis and malaria), donor medications or other contaminants that could be harmful.

The NZBS website (www.nzblood.co.nz) provides detailed information on the current donor eligibility and deferral criteria.