Age Limits for Blood Donation

The World Health Organization suggests the ideal donor be aged 18 to 65 (via). The American Association of Blood Banks used to bar peope aged over 65 (without written consent from a doctor) from donating blood. The rule was eliminated in 1978; now older people donate blood as long as they wish to and are well (via and via). In other words, healthy older people can - just like healthy younger people - "continue to safely donate and make a significant contribution to the blood supply past arbitrary age limits" (Goldman et al., 2019).

Back in 1996, Janetzko et al. examined blood donation in elderly donors and came to the conclusion that "blood donation in otherwise healthy persons aged over 65 years should be accepted". At the request of the UK Blood Services Forum, Stainsby and Butler (2008) prepared recommendations for the removal of the upper age limit based on an evaluation of available evidence of the safety of accepting blood donors beyond the age of 70. The authors concluded that "donors of whole blood and blood components can safely continue to donate beyond the age of 70, with no absolute upper age limit" if they meet the criteria needed.

In the past, there were concerns about the safety of blood donation for older donors, with upper age limits commonly applied. However, a recent comparative study using data from four countries and comparing deferral and vasovagal rates for whole-blood donation between donors aged 24-70 and 70+ concluded that age-based exclusions from donation based on safety concerns were not warranted [7]. At present, the upper age limit for blood donation differs among blood collection agencies (BCAs) worldwide. (Goldman et al., 2019)

The Bavarian Red Cross no longer has an upper age limit. Both those donating for the first time and those aged over 60 will be tested if they are suitable donators (via). The UK legislation on age limits for donors obliges regular donors to retire on reaching their 70th birthday and component donors on their 66th means discrimination. Stainsby and Butler (2008) point out that an arbitrary upper age limit is hard to justify. In fact, the National Blood Service received written complaints. Between April 2005 and March 2006, 107 complaints were received, including one from a Member of Parliament. The NHS does not accept any first-time donors over 66 and (since 1998) returning donors until they turn 70 but adds that one may continue after the age of 70 as long as one is in good health and has made at least one full donation in the past two years. On their website, the NHS points out that a review of date "suggests that it would be safe to allow older donors to continue past their seventieth birthday" (via). Still, in Italy you can only donate until the age 65 (via), in Japan until 69 (via). The Austrian Red Cross still has a general upper age limit of 70 and 60 for those donating for the first time (via). In the Netherelands, the upper age limit for blood donation was raised from 69 to 79 in 2018 (Quee et al., 2024).

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- Goldman, M., Germain, M., Grégoire, Y., Vassallo, R. (2019). Safety of blood donation by individuals over age 70 and their contribution to the blood supply in five developed countries: a BEST Collaborative group study: SAFETY OF DONATION, OLDER DONORS. Transfusion, 59(4)
- Janetzko, K., Böcher, R., Klotz, K. F., Kirchner, H. & Klüger, H. (1996). Blood donation after reaching 65 years of age. Beitr Infusionsther Transfusionsme, link
- Quee, F. A., Zeinali Lathori, A., Sijstsma, B., Brujns, S. & van den Hurk, K. (2024). Increasing the upper age limit for blood donation: Perspectives from older donors. Vox Sang., link to interesting abstract
- Stainsby, D. & Butler, M. (208). Recommendations for removal of the upper age limit for regular whole blood and component donors. 
- photograph (of Eggleston's grandmother Minnie Maude Mae at her home in Mississippi, 1970-1973) by William Eggleston via