Safety

The IBTS is committed to supplying Irish hospitals with blood that is as safe as it can be. This means that we test every donation received for a number of diseases including Hepatitis B, HIV and Hepatitis C.

Before coming to a clinic to give blood, please check if you are eligible to donate:

Never give blood if:

You have received a blood transfusion (other than an autologous transfusion) in the Republic of Ireland on or after the 1^st January 1980
You received a blood transfusion (other than an autologous transfusion) outside the Republic of Ireland at anytime
You have spent 1 year or more, in total, in the UK in the years 1980 to 1996
You are a male who has ever had anal or oral sex with another male, even if a condom or other form of protection was used
You have ever used a needle to take unprescribed drugs, this includes body building drugs
You or your partner is HIV positive
You have had jaundice of uncertain cause after the age of 13 years
You have had hepatitis B or C

Do not donate blood for 12 months after:

You have visited a malarial area
You were pregnant or gave birth to a baby
You received an autologous blood transfusion

Do not give blood for 6 months after:

You have had major surgery

Do not give blood for 4 months after:

You have had acupuncture. However, you will not need to wait 4 months if the acupuncture was performed by a medical practitioner registered with the Irish Medical Council or,
by a registered general nurse, registered with An Bord Altranais, working for a medical practitioner who is registered as above or,
by a chartered registered physiotherapist, registered with the Irish Society of Chartered Physiotherapists. A certificate from your practitioner is no longer required.
You have had a piercing, tattoo or semi permanent make-up
You have had an endoscopy

Do not give blood for 3 months after:

You have visited a tropical area.

Do not give blood for 1 month after:

You have had contact with infectious diseases (where you have not previously been infected) e.g. chicken pox, mumps, measles or German measles
You have visited the United States of America, Canada, certain parts of Europe, the Southern Federal District of Russia or Israel, during the West Nile Virus at risk season, because of the possibility of onward transmission of West Nile Virus via blood transfusion. For further information on current at risk areas, please contact us at 1850 731137.

Do not give blood for two weeks after:

You have fully recovered from the ‘flu
You have fully recovered from gastroenteritis
You have fully recovered from an acute infection (and are off antibiotics for at least one week). If you are taking antibiotics for acne, please click here.

Do not give blood for one week after:

You have had a dental extraction

Do not give blood for 24 hours after:

You have had an uncomplicated dental filling or scaling

Do not give blood until you have recovered after:

A cold

For further information on other circumstances that might result in a deferral, please click here.

vCJD and Blood Donation

The IBTS does not accept donations from people who have lived for a total of 1 year or more in the UK between 1st January 1980 and 31st December 1996. This includes living, working or on holidays. By the UK we mean England, Wales, Northern Ireland, Scotland, the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man.

For further information on vCJD read the page on vCJD. Also see the FAQs on vCJD.