“There are a lot of people who would give blood, but don’t think they can, so they don’t even try.”
Which is why the American Red Cross is working to dispel some common misconceptions about what prevents someone from being eligible to give blood, according to Cassandra Owens, a regional Red Cross blood donor recruitment representative.
“It’s kind of like a frequently asked question, who can and cannot give blood,” Owens said.
And it is a question the Red Cross is trying to answer as simply as possible in an effort to recruit more donors and/or regain previous donors, she said.
While “there aren’t any urgent problems with the blood supply,” Owens noted that “they blood supply is always so volatile.
“One major catastrophe could wipe out our national supply,” she said.
“So we always like to make sure we do have a steady supply,” Owens said, noting that is why recruiting more donors is so important and why it is important to dispel various misconceptions about what prevents people from being eligible to donate blood.
“Some people think ‘I’m diabetic’ or ‘I have high blood pressure, so I can’t give blood,’” she said. “But that’s not the case.”
“It’s a misnomer that they cannot give blood,” she said, noting that “as long as their condition, whether it is diabetes or high blood pressure, is well-controlled with the proper medicine, they can give blood.”
Even diabetics who are insulin-dependent may be eligible to give blood, she said. However, there are some forms of insulin that may make someone ineligible by the Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) standards, according to a Red Cross press release.
But diabetes and high blood pressure aren’t the only two medical conditions that people may mistakenly believe will keep them from donating, Owens said.
Cancer is another major condition that many believe automatically exempts them from being able to give blood, she said.
“But as long as it’s not a blood-related cancer, such as leukemia, then they can donate if it’s been more than one year since their last cancer treatment,” she said.
Another common misconception surrounds medications, Owens said.
“People think that if they are on medications, then they can’t donate,” she said. “But there are actually very few medications that can keep someone from donating.”
Some obvious medications include blood thinners such as Coumadin, Owens said, as these may prevent the blood from clotting normally. But there are also a variety of other medications that can make a potential blood donor ineligible, including the acne medication Accutane, she said.
According to a Red Cross press release, the FDA requires that people also be deferred from donating blood while using the following medications: Proscar, Propecia, Avodart, Soriatane, Tegison, and some human growth hormones.
Other blood donor eligibility misconceptions involve tattoos and travel, Owens said.
“A lot of people wonder about tattoos,” she said. “In Oklahoma, if you have gotten a tattoo in the last year, then you have to wait one year before you can give blood again.
“You have to wait because the FDA requires a licensed facility and the state of Oklahoma has not licensed its facility,” she said.
However, there is not such an easy guideline for knowing when or if you can donate when it comes to travel, Owens said.
“For travel, it’s hard to give a black and white answer on that,” she said.
“There are some areas that if you visit, then you are not able to donate for a year,” Owens said, explaining that this has to do with some types of diseases that may be prevalent in those areas such as malaria or AIDS.
However, there are also regulations such as “if you lived in certain parts of Africa, then you can never donate again,” she said.
It all depends on where, when and how long you traveled, she said, noting that the best thing to do is “check with us about donating if you’ve traveled.”
To check with the Red Cross about your blood donor eligibility, call 1-800-GIVE-LIFE (1-800-448-3543).
You can also call that same number to set up an appointment to donate blood at an upcoming community blood drive set for Aug. 6 from noon until 6 p.m. at the First Christian Church in Woodward, Owens said.
Those who aren’t eligible to donate can still contribute to the Red Cross by volunteering at the upcoming blood drive, she said, noting volunteers can either call the Red Cross number listed above or contact the First Christian Church to see how they can help.
