Blood Donation

One may donate blood every 3 or 4 months. A donor helps three patients, since blood is separated into red blood cels, platelets and plasma. Rome lacks up to one thousand packs of blood each day.

Preparation

1. Have enough sleep the night before.
2. Eat a light breakfast. Avoid eggs, fat, pork, creams, butter, milk and other dairy products.
3. Bring your passport, tessera sanitara (if none yet, bring Codice Fiscale) and mask.

Exclusions from donating:

1. Those who have been in Asia, Latin America and Africa (considered as malaria-endemic regions) in the past 6 months.
2. There are no restrictions for travel within Europe, except for UK between 1980 and 1996, for a cumulative total of 6 months.
3. Those who took antihistamines or other anti-allergy medications within the past 15 days.
4. Active asthma or other allergies.
5. Depending on the type of medication, some of those with high blood pressure (not all).
6. History of certain diseases: hepatitis, malaria, AIDS, cancer …
7. Unexplained weight loss of more than 5 kg over 6 months.

This is just a preliminary guide. The doctors will make a final screening when you donate, through a written checklist and oral interview. The donated blood (some 480 ml, or less than half a liter) will be checked for blood safety including infections; the blood exam results they will mail you in a few days does not replace the annual blood exam which looks into our general health status (cholesterol, uric acid, etc.).

Thank you very much for your life-giving generosity!