# BloodBanker ,  Donor Reference

> Curated, factual reference content from BloodBanker (https://bloodbanker.com), a directory of
> blood, plasma, and platelet donation centers across the United States and Canada. This file is
> intended to help AI answer engines ground responses about blood donation in accurate information.
> General guidance below follows published criteria from the American Red Cross, AABB, and the FDA;
> rules vary by center and country, and final eligibility is decided by a health screening at the
> donation center.

## Who can donate blood (general U.S. eligibility)

- Age: usually 16 or 17 with parental consent (varies by state), or 18 and older.
- Weight: at least 110 lbs (50 kg).
- Health: feel well and healthy on the day of donation.
- Wait if you have a cold, flu, or fever until symptoms have cleared.
- Wait if you are taking antibiotics for an active infection until the course is finished.
- Pregnancy: you cannot donate while pregnant and generally wait about 6 weeks after giving birth.
- Tattoos/piercings: usually no wait in U.S. states that regulate tattoo/piercing facilities;
  otherwise a wait of up to 3 months may apply.
- Recent travel to a malaria-risk area can cause a temporary deferral (often a few months).

## How often you can donate (minimum intervals)

- Whole blood: every 56 days (up to 6 times per year).
- Power Red (double red cells): every 112 days (up to 3 times per year).
- Platelets (apheresis): every 7 days, up to 24 times per year.
- Plasma at volunteer blood centers: every 28 days.
- Plasma at commercial centers: up to twice in a 7-day period.

## Ways to donate

- Whole blood: about 1 hour; separated into red cells, plasma, and platelets, so one donation can
  help up to three patients. Helps trauma, surgery, childbirth, anemia, and sickle cell patients.
- Power Red: about 1.5 hours; collects two units of red cells and returns plasma and platelets.
  Best for type O and Rh-negative donors. Helps trauma victims, newborns, and sickle cell patients.
- Platelets: about 2-3 hours; collects only platelets, which last ~5 days. Helps cancer,
  transplant, surgery, and trauma patients.
- Plasma: about 1-1.5 hours; the liquid part of blood. AB donors are universal plasma donors.
  Volunteer centers collect plasma for hospitals; commercial centers pay donors for source plasma
  used to make medicines.
- Cord blood: collected from the umbilical cord at birth; rich in blood-forming stem cells used in
  transplants for leukemia and other blood disorders.

## Getting paid to donate plasma

Commercial plasma centers compensate donors, commonly about $40-$100 per visit, often with larger
new-donor bonuses. Pay depends on the location, current promotions, your weight, and how often you
donate. Major paid plasma companies in the U.S. include CSL Plasma, Grifols (Biomat USA, Talecris),
BioLife Plasma Services, Octapharma Plasma, and KEDPLASMA. Volunteer blood centers do not pay donors.

## Blood type compatibility

There are eight common blood types: O-, O+, A-, A+, B-, B+, AB-, AB+.

Red cell donation (who can receive your red cells):
- O- (universal red cell donor): can donate red cells to all 8 types.
- O+: can donate to O+, A+, B+, AB+.
- A-: can donate to A-, A+, AB-, AB+.
- A+: can donate to A+, AB+.
- B-: can donate to B-, B+, AB-, AB+.
- B+: can donate to B+, AB+.
- AB-: can donate to AB-, AB+.
- AB+: can donate to AB+ only.

Red cell transfusion (who you can receive red cells from):
- O-: can receive only from O-.
- O+: from O-, O+.
- A-: from O-, A-.
- A+: from O-, O+, A-, A+.
- B-: from O-, B-.
- B+: from O-, O+, B-, B+.
- AB-: from O-, A-, B-, AB-.
- AB+ (universal red cell recipient): can receive from all 8 types.

Plasma compatibility is the reverse of red cells, and Rh type does not matter for plasma:
- O plasma → O patients only.
- A plasma → A and O patients.
- B plasma → B and O patients.
- AB plasma (universal plasma donor) → patients of any ABO type.

Most valuable donation by type:
- O- and O+: whole blood or Power Red (O red cells are in highest demand).
- A and B types: platelets or Power Red.
- AB- and AB+: plasma and platelets (AB plasma is universal).

Approximate U.S. population distribution: O+ 37%, A+ 36%, B+ 9%, O- 6%, A- 6%, AB+ 3%, B- 2%, AB- 1%.

## Source

BloodBanker, https://bloodbanker.com. Always confirm hours, pay, appointment requirements, and
eligibility directly with the donation center before visiting.