…from Canadian Blood Services
People with hemochromatosis can donate blood, providing they meet all other Canadian Blood Services donor eligibility criteria. Individuals with late complications from hemochromatosis such as liver cirrhosis or heart failure are not eligible to donate.
Individuals with hemochromatosis can donate blood every 56 days for males and every 84 days for females, which is the usual interval for whole blood donation at Canadian Blood Services. Unfortunately, they cannot donate more frequently than every 56 days for males and every 84 days for females at Canadian Blood Services. The interval between donations is controlled by the Canadian Blood Services computer system since this is a critical criterion for donor safety.
Individuals may have phlebotomies in between donations, providing there is at least one week between an outpatient phlebotomy and their next Canadian Blood Services donation. For example, if an individual has a phlebotomy this Monday in their outpatient clinic, they can donate blood at Canadian Blood Services next Monday.
For more information about blood donation and eligibility please visit www.blood.ca
To learn more about hemochromatosis please visit www.toomuchiron.ca.
