Drug treatment - Whole blood and components

Also known as: medication

Essential information

Obligatory

See: any specific entry for the disease being treated or the drug taken.

The taking of some drugs may make a donor ineligible. This could be due to the underlying disease or to the medication.

Discretionary

Self-medication with some drugs (e.g. vitamins, aspirin, sleeping tablets) need not prevent a donation being accepted, providing the donor meets all other criteria.

The number of different drugs taken should not of itself make a donor ineligible.

Supporting information

Additional information

In most circumstances, it is the condition that a drug is being taken for, rather than the drug itself, that will lead to deferral. This is because the amount of drug that will be transfused will be very small.

Some drugs are known or suspected to affect foetal development when taken by patients to treat their underlying condition. For a drug to potentially harm the foetus, it must be present at a significant concentration in the mother’s bloodstream during the specific period of organ development. For example, sodium valproate needs to be in the circulation during the neural tube formation phase in the first trimester of pregnancy.

Although a donation taken from a person on medication may contain traces of that drug, the potential risk to the recipient is not believed to be significant because:

  • the concentration of the drug will be low because of dilution within the recipient’s circulation
  • a one-off exposure is unlikely to cause an effect
  • transfusions within the first trimester (the first 3 months) of pregnancy, at the key stage of foetal development, are uncommon

However, some drugs have a Pregnancy Prevention Programme (PPP) mandated due to their higher teratogenic risk. A PPP is mandatory formal risk management and is distinct from drug information that simply advises avoiding use in pregnancy. In acknowledgement of this, donors who are taking drugs with a PPP for a condition that would not otherwise prevent donation must be deferred according to the appropriate entry in the WB-DSG.

Donors who are taking a drug for which specific guidance is not in the WB‑DSG should be assessed according to the entry for the condition for which the drug treatment is being taken.

This approach has been reviewed by the UK Teratology Information Service (UKTIS) and will be updated as further evidence becomes available.

It is also important to be certain that a particular drug will not stop platelets from working properly. The blood of anyone who has taken drugs in the last 7 days that can interfere with platelet function can be used for red cells but may not be suitable for preparing platelets.

If a specific drug is not indexed individually, or as a group (e.g. nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs or steroids), and the reason for treatment is not a cause for deferral, the donor should be accepted. If in doubt, contact a Designated Clinical Support Officer.

Reason for change:
Additional information to support the assessment of the eligibility of donors taking drug treatment that can affect foetal development has been added. ‘See if relevant’ section has been removed.
Version details:

WB-DSG Edition 203 Release 82 (17 September 2026)