Unfortunately, you can't become a donor if:
You are younger than 18 or older than 65
In the Netherlands, someone between 18 and 65 years of age can register as a donor. A person of this age can normally easily give a half liter of blood. The risk of complications increases in older people and in the Netherlands donation is not permitted beyond the age of 79 years. Because of the possible health risks to donors we do not allow people of 64 and older to sign up and start donating.
You weigh less than 50 kg
We are allowed to remove up to 15% of the total blood volume [and this is linked to a person's weight and height]. Otherwise the health of a donor could be put at risk. If you are only temporarily lighter than 50 kilograms, please sign up when you have put on weight again.
You have ever received an organ or tissue transplant from another person
There is a very small chance that you could have contracted Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease through the transplant. This is a very rare disease that can be transmitted through transfusion and transplantation. Unfortunately, there is no test for it.
To prevent you from infecting someone else as a donor, there is an agreement that it is not possible for you to be a blood doner if you have had an organ or tissue transplant. This is a precautionary measure. The chance that you have actually contracted Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease is very small.
You spent a total of six months or longer in the United Kingdom between 1 January 1980 and 31 December 1996
(NOTE: England, Wales, Northern Ireland, Scotland, the Isle of Man and the Channel Islands are all part of the United Kingdom.)
A variant form of Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (vCJD) was discovered in humans in 1996. This brain disease is probably caused by eating contaminated beef from cows with BSE (bovine spongiform encephalopathy, "mad cow disease").
Most cases of vCJD have occurred in the United Kingdom. It has also been demonstrated that vCJD can be transmitted by a blood transfusion. For this reason, people who spent six months or longer in the United Kingdom between 1st January 1980 and 31st December 1996 are not allowed eligible to register as blood donors.
Sanquin is adjusting the policy on safe blood donation following a stay in the United Kingdom.
You have ever injected drugs
You cannot register as a donor if you have ever injected drugs, even if it was only once or a long time ago. Because there is a higher risk of blood-borne infections you cannot give blood.
If you have snorted cocaine, you are allowed to give blood four months after the last time you used cocaine. So if you use cocaine more frequently than once every four months, it is not possible to become a donor.
You have diabetes and use insulin injections
If you have diabetes, you can only become a donor if you don’t use insulin injections. Using tablets is not a problem if your diabetes is stable.
You have a chronic [condition] or serious illness or have had one in the past
We need more information before we can say whether you can become a donor. Perhaps you could call our donor information line (088-730 8686) in order to discuss your personal situation with a blood bank staff member?