Not while your levels are low.  In most cases, you will be eligible to donate once your results are back in the normal range. It does however depend on the cause and how long ago you had your tests. Please contact us to discuss your eligibility.

Learn more about being a donor and iron health

If you have been diagnosed with mpox (monkeypox virus) infection you cannot donate until 4 weeks after you have fully recovered.

If you have had close contact such as sexual contact with a mpox case or you have been notified by public health that you are considered a high or medium risk contact, you cannot donate for 4 weeks after your last exposure. If you have been vaccinated other…

Yes, provided your asthma is well-controlled, and depending on the medications you’re taking.

Daily preventatives and any inhalants won’t affect whether you can give, but oral or injected corticosteroids  or mepolizumab might — it’s best to have a chat to one of our Medical Professionals on 13 14 95 to double check.

It depends on a few things, like what type of skin cancer and what happened.

If you have had a melanoma, you’ll need to wait five years after completing treatment. Read more about it here.

For basal cell carcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma not treated with radiation, or solar or senile…

You will be able to donate 12 months after you have completed treatment. Our test for syphilis looks for antibodies, which remain present even after the infection is treated. This means that after treatment people will still test positive for syphilis for many years. Because of this, you will only be able to donate plasma when you return to donate – the processing involved in making the many…

If you have had a biopsy of your skin or removal of a skin lesion (such as a mole), you will need to wait to donate until you are recovered, the wound is healed and any biopsy results confirm you are able to donate.

Your blood volume goes down a little when you donate. It’s important to be well hydrated so that you can feel well after. 

On the day before your donation, we recommend:

• 10 glasses of fluid if you are a man
• 8 glasses of fluid if you are a woman

In the three hours before you donate, drink three good-sized glasses of fluid (that’s 750 mL).…

Yes – there are no specific restrictions on people who are intersex and you are not required to tell staff that you are intersex. However, at present, our process requires you to select either male or female when registering to donate. We appreciate that our donor database will not accommodate the gender of everyone.  Our eligibility criteria will be applied according to the gender…

Yes, as long as there’s no broken skin or local infection around the wart.  

Maybe. It depends on the type of surgery and the recovery period.  

Upcoming surgery: If you have surgery planned within 84 days (that’s about three months) of your donation, you may need to wait before donating. Please contact us to discuss your eligibility.  

Recent surgery: …

We’re glad you’re doing better now. Unfortunately, though, to protect your health you’re not able to donate. 

Don't be disappointed though, because there are other ways you can help. You can spread the word about how donating saves lives on social media (find us @lifebloodau), register your intent to be an organ donor (if you’re…

If your spleen was removed due to trauma or physical injury, you can donate six months after you’ve made a full recovery.

However, if your spleen was removed to treat a chronic illness such as immune thrombocytopaenic purpura (ITP) or lymphoma, you won’t be able to donate blood.

Don't be disappointed though, because there are other ways you can help. You can spread…

Yes, as long as you’re feeling well and the rash is completely clean and dry, you can donate plasma straight away. In fact, the plasma you donate after you recover is full of valuable antibodies (proteins that your body makes to fight infections) that can be used to help people at risk of shingles or chicken pox.  

After four…

We can help with regular therapeutic removal of blood (called ‘venesection’) as a treatment, and your doctor may have even referred you to Lifeblood for it. However, your blood can’t be given to patients. Check with your GP if therapeutic venesection is right for you.

Yes, but you can only donate either blood or plasma. At the moment, we don’t know how collecting platelets from people with osteoporosis affects their bone density. That’s why, to protect your health, you won’t be able to donate platelets. If you have any questions, please contact us.  

Maybe. It depends on how your condition affects you. Please contact us before you book a donation to check that you can donate.  

Unfortunately, no. As the cause of MS is still unknown, we can’t rule out that it’s caused by a transmissible infection (like a virus) that medical science hasn’t discovered yet. 

Don't be disappointed though, because there are other ways you can help. You can spread the word about how blood saves lives on social media (find us @lifebloodau), register your intent to be an …

No. Unfortunately, having SLE may affect your body’s ability to tolerate regular blood donation. It’s also possible that regular blood donations could affect the severity of your SLE.  

Don't be disappointed though, because there are other ways you can help. You can spread the word about how blood saves lives on social media (find us @lifebloodau), register your intent to be…

Yes, as long as your doctor has ruled out any serious ongoing liver disease, you can begin donating blood again. If you have any questions, please contact us.

No. Unfortunately, to protect your health, if you have a history of leukaemia or lymphoma you are unable to donate blood. Don't be disappointed though, because there are other ways you can help. You can spread the word about how blood saves lives on social media (find us @lifebloodau), register your intent to be an organ donor (if you…

Maybe. It depends on the reason your ferritin level is high.

If you have a medical condition such as haemochromatosis, which is a genetic condition that can lead to iron overload, you may be eligible to join Lifeblood’s therapeutic program. Donating blood is a treatment for this condition as it reduces the iron in your body by removing blood. Your doctor will need to refer you for this…

You can donate one week after you’ve made a full recovery, but you must stay home while you’re showing any symptoms at all.

Hypoglycaemia means you have low blood sugar. It can occur with the treatment of diabetes. If you have symptoms of hypoglycaemia which aren’t related to diabetes or another serious illness, you can donate as long as you eat a substantial snack two hours before you donate and drink…

Yes, provided you aren’t suffering a current episode. Any lesions from a recent episode must be clean and dry. You can donate between episodes, though. 

If you’ve had contact with someone who has active genital herpes, you’ll be able to donate two weeks after your last contact.  

It depends on the type of hepatitis you had.  

Hepatitis A and B:  

Hepatitis is an inflammation of the liver caused by infection (like the hepatitis A or B viruses) or an unknown cause. You need to wait at least 12 months after you’ve made a full recovery before you donate blood. When you come in, make sure you notify the interviewer so…

If you've had helicobacter pylori infection (stomach ulcer), you can donate five days after you’ve completed treatment and have no symptoms. However, if you’ve had an endoscopy, you might need to wait a bit longer. See the…

Maybe. It depends on the type of heart condition you have (and as long as you meet our other criteria). For the following conditions, please contact us to check.  

Angina: You may be able to donate if you have had no symptoms for at least 6 months and meet other criteria. Please contact…

Yes. You can donate blood two weeks after you have fully recovered from glandular fever. 

If you had ‘yellow jaundice' or hepatitis associated with glandular fever, you won’t be able to donate for 12 months. When you donate again, make sure you let the interviewer know so they can request some extra tests, just to be safe. 

If you’ve had contact with the saliva of…

Yes. The flu vaccine (both seasonal flu and H1N1 or 'swine' flu) is made from 'dead’ (inactivated/recombinant) material, so it doesn’t affect your ability to donate.

Yes, provided you are well and meet our other eligibility criteria.

Yes, as long as you haven’t had a seizure for at least three years. In some cases, we need a letter of approval from your doctor, so contact us if you have any questions.

Yes, but not right away. After an endoscopy (colonoscopy, gastroscopy or flexible sigmoidoscopy) where a sample (biopsy) was taken or polyp removed, you’ll need to wait seven days before donating, unless the procedure was performed overseas (you’ll need to wait four months if it was). You must also be feeling well after the procedure and any results must be normal.

If no sample (…

Yes, provided that the rash isn’t inflamed or weeping and doesn’t affect the inner surface of your elbow where we take blood. 

Yes, but not until eight weeks after contact. If you’ve visited a country where there is Ebola, please look up the country on our travel page for more information. 

Maybe, it depends on the treatment, whether you have had any recurrence of the thrombosis and any possible underlying cause. It’s best if you contact us to find out. 

Depending on the cause of the diarrhoea, you’ll need to wait between one and four weeks after recovering. Check with us about your symptoms and eligibility by contacting us.

Yes, as long as you have no complications from your diabetes, such as eye, heart, blood vessel or kidney problems, and your diabetes is well controlled through diet or oral medication. If you need insulin to control your diabetes, contact us to check your eligibility.  

Maybe, it depends on the type of treatment. 

Simple treatments (cleaning, fillings and braces):

For the first 24 hours after seeing the dentist you can only give plasma. After 24 hours, provided you’re well, you can donate blood or platelets too.

Extractions, crowns, root canals, periodontal procedures:

For the first seven days…

Yes, but you need to wait at least four months after you recover before donating.

Unfortunately, no. Having cystic fibrosis usually results in recurrent chest infections and nutritional problems including anaemia. For your safety, you won’t be able to donate. 

Don't be disappointed though, because there are other ways you can help. You can spread the word about how blood saves lives on social media (find us @lifebloodau), register your intent to be an…

Generally, no. Donors with a family member who has or has had classical Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (cCJD) usually can’t donate, but it may be possible based on an assessment of your situation. Please contact us to talk about your eligibility to donate. This only applies to classical CJD, not variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob…

We ask that you don’t donate until one week after you’re fully recovered and feeling fit and well. Even if you’re only experiencing mild symptoms, like a runny nose, please stay home to rest and recover.

Yes, if you aren’t suffering a current episode. Any cold sores from a previous episode must be clean and dry.

Unfortunately, no. Because we don’t know the cause of this serious, debilitating disease, we can’t rule out that it’s caused by a transmissible infection that medical science hasn’t discovered yet. We also don’t know the potential health effects of long-term blood donation on people who have suffered chronic fatigue syndrome.  

That means if you have a past history of this…

Yes, you’ll just need to wait two weeks and five days after completing treatment.  

You can donate plasma as soon as you’ve recovered but you’ll need to wait four weeks before you can give blood. You’re recovered when all your spots are completely clean and dry and you’re feeling well. Your plasma can provide valuable antibodies (blood proteins your body makes to fight infections) for people at risk of chicken…

Usually, yes, but it depends on how your cerebral palsy affects you. If you’re generally fit, able to move freely on and off a donation couch without assistance, and there’s no difficulty accessing the veins at your elbow, you should be able to donate. Please contact us to talk to us about whether you can donate.  

Yes. In most cases, you can donate if you remain free of cancer five years after completing treatment. This is to protect your own health by ensuring, as far as possible, that the cancer is gone and won’t recur.

For some cancers or pre-cancers of the skin (excluding melanomas), carcinoma in situ (CIN and CIS)…