Frequently Asked Questions

Please contact the Blood Bank at 088-730 8686.

This may be a problem, depending on the material used. Please contact the Blood Bank about this (088-730 8686).

A pap smear performed as part of the population screening programme is not a problem; you do not need to wait for the results.

If the pap smear was performed due to symptoms or complaints, you do need to wait until the results come back.

This also applies if tissue samples were taken or conization was performed. You may not donate blood in case of cancer.

Please contact the Blood Bank if results are abnormal (088-730 8686).

Typhoid (injection): you may donate blood if it was a preventive vaccination and you are symptom-free.
Typhoid (tablet): you may donate blood 4 weeks after vaccination.
BCG: you may donate blood 4 weeks after vaccination.
Mumps: you may donate blood 4 weeks after vaccination.
MMR (measles-mumps-rubella): you may donate blood 4 weeks after vaccination.
Cholera: you may donate blood if it was a preventive vaccination and you are symptom-free.
Diphtheria: you may donate blood if it was a preventive vaccination and you are symptom-free.
DTP: you may donate blood if it was a preventive vaccination and you are symptom-free.
Experimental vaccine: please contact the Blood Bank at 088-730 8686.
Yellow fever: you may donate blood 4 weeks after vaccination.
Flu (influenza): you may donate blood if it was a preventive vaccination and you are symptom-free.
Haemophilus influenzae: you may donate blood if it was a preventive vaccination and you are symptom-free.
Hepatitis A: you may donate blood if it was a preventive vaccination and you are symptom-free.
Hepatitis A after contact: you may donate blood 3 months after vaccination.
Hepatitis B or Hepatitis A + B: you may donate blood 2 weeks after vaccination. Hepatitis B vaccination after blood-blood contact (needle stick accident); you may donate blood again 4 months after the incident.
Rabies: you may donate blood if it was a preventive vaccination and you are symptom-free.
Rabies vaccination: if this is administered due to contact with an infected animal, you may donate blood again 1 year after vaccination.
Human papilloma virus (Gardasil): you may donate blood if it was a preventive vaccination and you are symptom-free.
Pertussis (whooping cough): you may donate blood if it was a preventive vaccination and you are symptom-free.
Measles: you may donate blood 4 weeks after vaccination.
Meningococcus: you may donate blood if it was a preventive vaccination and you are symptom-free.
Unregistered vaccine: you may donate blood 1 month after vaccination.
Pneumococcus: you may donate blood if it was a preventive vaccination and you are symptom-free.
Polio (injection): you may donate blood if it was a preventive vaccination and you are symptom-free.
Polio (tablet): you may donate blood 4 weeks after vaccination.
Rubella (German measles): you may donate blood 4 weeks after vaccination.
Tick-borne encephalitis (FSME): you may donate blood if it was a preventive vaccination and you are symptom-free.
Tick-borne encephalitis vaccination (FSME): after exposure (e.g. via tick bite) You may donate blood 1 year after vaccination.
Tetanus: you may donate blood if it was a preventive vaccination and you are symptom-free.

Contact the Blood Bank at 088-730 8686.

You may donate blood. If you have genital warts, we ask that you contact the Blood Bank (088-730 8686).

Unfortunately, you may (temporarily) not give blood after visiting certain countries. Make sure to think of which countries you have visited recently, and if necessary take the online donor test (in Dutch) to check whether you may donate. You can also call the donor information line: 088-730 8686.

The required haemoglobin level (also known as Hb or iron level) to donate blood differs from the requirement for plasma donation. When donating blood, you give away some of your red blood cells. This causes your haemoglobin level to decrease by about 8 percent.

When donating plasma, your red blood cells are returned to you. Therefore, it is considered safe to donate plasma with a lower haemoglobin level.

To donate blood your haemoglobin (Hb) level must be at least 8.4 mmol/l for men and 7.8 mmol/l for women. To donate plasma your haemoglobin (Hb) level must be at least 8.1 mmol/l for men and 7.5 mmol/l for women.

If you have Parkinson's disease it depends on the symptoms you experience from the disease whether or not you can donate blood or plasma. The medicines you may need could also be relevant. Please contact the Blood Bank (088-730 8686) to discuss whether you can donate with your complaints and possible treatment

Blood can be seperated in different components, the shelf life differs per blood component. 

- Platelets can be stored for seven days. 
- Red blood cells can be stored for 35 days. 
- Plasma is frozen and can be stored for two years or longer.