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Stories in this Week's Focus

MEDIC Regional Blood Center has updated donor eligibility requirements per FDA approval. The FDA recently evaluated blood donor eligibility criteria and recommended a reduction in deferral time period for several areas. MEDIC Senior Management evaluated and adopted these recommendations.

 

The following areas are now a 3-month deferral after the last date of exposure:

  • Tattoo (obtained outside of TN/KY)
  • Piercing (no deferral if done by a professional using single-use equipment)
  • Needlestick
  • Injection of drugs that were not prescribed by a doctor
  • Travel to a malaria endemic area
  • Males with sexual contact with another male
  • Transfusion

 

In addition, MEDIC has eliminated the deferral period for the following:

  • Association with a U.S. military base in Europe from 1980 – 1996
  • Lived in Europe for more than 5 years (still deferred if in France or Ireland for more than 5 years in 1980 – 2001; or 3 months or more in the UK from 1980-1996)

 

MEDIC is seeing a significant increase in demand for COVID Convalescent Plasma and is encouraging those who have had a positive COVID-19 diagnosis via confirmed lab tests to donate as soon as possible. As a reminder, donors must have had a positive lab test and must be symptom-free for 28 days.

 

If a donor has any questions about the deferral changes and time periods, they should call 865-524-3074. For more information about MEDIC Regional Blood Center, please visit the website at www.medicblood.org.

 

About MEDIC Regional Blood Center:

MEDIC Regional Blood Center is a nonprofit organization and the provider of blood and blood products for 25 regional hospitals in 22 counties. MEDIC relies tremendously on blood drives set up at businesses, churches, schools and community events, which accounts for 85 percent of the blood collected. Established in 1958 by Dr. Carl Nelson under the sponsorship of the Knoxville Academy of Medicine, MEDIC is an accredited member of AABB (American Association of Blood Banks) and a member of America’s Blood Centers. For more information, go to www.medicblood.org.

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