Medication Deferral List

PRE-INTERVIEW STEP 3 OF 5

The following list of medications relates to a question you will be asked during the interview. This list will be available for your review at that time.

Some medications may affect your eligibility to donate blood. Please tell us if you are being treated with the following types of medications:

Some medications affect your eligibility as a blood donor for the following reasons:

• Anti-platelet agents affect platelet function, so people taking these drugs should not donate platelets for the indicated time.  You may still be able to donate whole blood or red blood cells by apheresis.  
• Anticoagulants or “blood thinners” are used to treat or prevent blood clots in the legs, lungs, or other parts of the body, and to prevent strokes. These medications affect the blood’s ability to clot, which might cause excessive bruising or bleeding when you donate. You may still be able to donate whole blood or red blood cells by apheresis.  
• Isotretinoin, finasteride, dutasteride, acitretin and etretinate can cause birth defects. Your donated blood could contain high enough levels to damage the unborn baby if transfused to a pregnant woman.   
• Thalomid (thalidomide), Erivedge (vismodegib), Odomozo (sonidegib), Aubagio (teriflunomide), Rinvoq (upadacitinlb) may cause birth defects or the death of an unborn baby if transfused to a pregnant woman.  
• Cellcept (mycophenolate mofetil) and Arava (leflunomide) are immunosuppressants that may cause birth defects or the death of an unborn baby if transfused to a pregnant woman.  
• PrEP or pre-exposure prophylaxis involves taking a specific combination of medicines as a prevention method for people who are HIV negative and at high risk of HIV infection.  
• PEP or post-exposure prophylaxis is a short-term treatment started as soon as possible after a high-risk exposure to HIV to reduce the risk of infection.
• ART or antiretroviral therapy is the daily use of a combination of HIV medicines (called an HIV regimen) to treat HIV infection.
• Hepatitis B Immune Globulin (HBIG) is an injected material used to prevent hepatitis B infection following a possible or known exposure to hepatitis B. HBIG does not prevent hepatitis B infection in every case, therefore, persons who have received HBIG must wait to donate blood.    
• Experimental Medication or Unlicensed (Experimental) Vaccine is usually associated with a research study, and the effect on the safety of transfused blood is unknown.  

Donors SHOULD NOT discontinue medications prescribed or recommended by their physician in order to donate blood.