First-time donors

Any healthy person who freely decides to do so can become a donor, as long as they comply with the following conditions:

• you are a permanent resident of the Czech Republic, or a member of an EU state with health insurance valid in the Czech Republic;
• you are between 18–60 years old, weighing at least 52 kg if a woman or 60 kg if a man;
• you do not suffer from serious allergies;
• you have not undergone a serious infectious liver disease (aside from hepatitis A);
• you do not suffer from chronic kidney diseases;
• you do not suffer from cardiovascular diseases (heart attacks, heart disease or defect, high blood pressure);
• you do not suffer from a serious skin disease;
• you have not had TBC;
• you have not had malaria or another tropical disease;
• you have not had typhoid nor paratyphoid fever;
• you do not suffer from rheumatism;
• you are not being treated for blood disorders (anaemia, clotting disorders, etc.);
• you do not have nor have had cancer;
• you do not have nervous system disorders (epilepsy, multiple sclerosis);
• you have not had any organ transplant, including corneal transplants and dura mater;
• you have not had, nor have blood relatives who have had, an occurrence of Creutzfeldt-Jacob disease or its variant (vCJD);
• you do not suffer from stomach ulcers, diseases of the gallbladder, nor pancreas;
• you are not in any “risk groups” (promiscuous lifestyle, intravenous drug user, homosexual intercourse);
• you are not an alcoholic;
• you have not contracted a venereal disease (gonorrhoea, syphilis);
• you are not in close contact (member of a shared household or sexual partner) with an HIV/AIDS positive person;
• you are not in close contact (member of a shared household or sexual partner) with a person having or having had hepatitis B or C;
• you have not been in a correctional facility (prison) in the past year;
• you have not lived in a tropical country or exotic region in the past 6 months;
• you did not live for more than 6 months in Great Britain or France between 1980–1996.

You may give blood if:

• you are not sick and feel completely well;
• in recent months you have not been in contact with a contagious disease;
• you have not undergone an operation nor endoscopic examination in the past six months;
• you have not taken antibiotics nor other medicines in the last month;
• you have not had a tooth pulled in the last week;
• you have not had any piercings nor tattoos in the last 6 months;
• you have not had a tick in the last month;
• you are a woman and: you are not currently having your period; it has been at least 9 months since you have given birth; it has been at least one month since you have stopped breastfeeding.

What you will need to donate blood:

• photo identification (national ID card, passport);
• valid health insurance card;
• you do not need a doctor’s recommendation;
• good veins in the crook of your arm;
• to follow the proper diet and rest regimes.

Dietary regime before giving blood:

• 14 hours prior to giving blood, do not eat any fatty foods, but do not fast;
• it is important to have an adequate intake of non-sweetened drinks;
• do not consume any alcohol at least 14 hours before giving blood;
• on the day of donating, eat foods such as breadstuffs without added fat, fruits and vegetables, and avoid sweetened drinks.