Eligability | Buckeye Blood Club

You must be at least 16 years old and weigh at least 110 pounds.
There is no maximum age or weight limit for donation.
Donors 18 years of age or younger must also meet additional height and weight requirements for whole blood donation (applies to girls shorter than 5'6" and boys shorter than 5') which can be found here

If you’ve traveled to a country where malaria is found in the past 12 months, you may not be eligible to donate. Before you donate a nurse will go over any traveling you’ve done outside of the US or Canada to ensure that there are no issues.

For tattoos, you must wait three months if the tattoo was applied in a state that does NOT regulate tattoo facilities. Currently, the only states that DO NOT regulate tattoo facilities are the District of Columbia, Georgia, Idaho, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New York, Pennsylvania, Utah, and Wyoming. This requirement is related to concerns about hepatitis. Learn more about hepatitis and blood donation.
A tattoo is acceptable if the tattoo was applied by a state-regulated entity using sterile needles and ink that is not reused. Cosmetic tattoos (including microblading of eyebrows only) applied in a licensed establishment in a regulated state using sterile needles and ink that is not reused is acceptable. You should discuss your particular situation with the health historian at the time of donation.
For piercings, donation right away is acceptable as long as the instruments used were single-use equipment and disposable (which means both the gun and the earring cassette were disposable). Wait three months if a piercing was performed using a reusable gun or any reusable instrument.
Wait three months if there is any question whether or not the instruments used were single-use equipment. This requirement is related to concerns about hepatitis. Learn more about hepatitis and blood donation.

Almost all medications won’t disqualify you from donating. Click here to see a list of ones that will.

If you don’t feel well, have a fever or are having trouble breathing through your mouth, wait to donate until those symptoms go away.

The MSM (men who have sex with men) policy states that any man who has had sex with a man (or a woman who has sex with a man who has had sex with a man) cannot donate blood until three months after their last MSM encounter. This is an FDA policy that Versiti must adhere to and we must enforce at our drives.
However, Buckeye Blood Club at the Ohio State University strongly opposes this policy and we are actively work towards reversing this policy and to create an inclusive atmosphere for our club. Additionally, if you would like to participate in any Blood Battles but are ineligible for any reason please reach out to us for volunteering information through the Get Involved tab or fill out the contact form to get more information.

Vaccine Guidelines via Versiti:

If you’ve received a COVID-19 vaccine, you’ll need to provide the manufacturer's name when you come to donate
Eligible blood donors who received the COVID-19 vaccine must wait two days before giving blood
Donors who have previously been infected with COVID-19 are eligible to donate given that they are in good health at the time of donation

For any other questions related to blood donation eligibility, please check the Versiti FAQs about blood donation or contact us!