Serious Illness

Common conditions that mean you are unable to donate blood include:

• Heart disease
• Cancer
• Stroke
• Inflammatory bowel disease
• Chronic lung disease (except asthma)
• Chronic fatigue syndrome

Other important information:

High blood pressure, high cholesterol

You can donate while being treated for high blood pressure or high cholesterol levels. If your medication changes you have to wait at least 4 weeks before donating.

Diabetes

You can donate blood if you have diabetes provided you have no complications caused by diabetes and do not need insulin treatment. If your medication changes you have to wait at least 4 weeks before donating.

Blood donation will lower your HbA1c (glycated haemoglobin) level. This blood test is used to monitor your diabetic control therefore you should inform your diabetic team so this can be taken into account when reviewing your HbA1c level. For this reason, blood donation should preferably be performed after HbA1c testing.