Blood Donors on Medication – an Approach to Minimize Drug Burden for Recipients of Blood Products and to Limit Deferral of Donors

• Published in: Transfusion medicine and hemotherapy Vol. 36; no. 2; pp. 107 - 113
• Main Authors: Becker, Christian D.K., Stichtenoth, Dirk O., Wichmann, Michael G., Schaefer, Christof, Szinicz, Ladislaus
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Basel, Switzerland S. Karger GmbH 01.01.2009
• Subjects: Original Article · Originalarbeit; Original · Originalarbeit; Pharmacology; Drug therapy; Pharmacokinetics; Donor deferral; Blood donation
• ISSN: 1660-3796; 1660-3818
• DOI: 10.1159/000203355

Background: Blood products derived from donors on medication can contain drugs which might pose a risk for the recipients or influence the quality of the product itself. Material and Methods: To judge the eligibility of blood donors on medication, 4 drug classes have been formed with respect to their pharmacological properties, and blood products have been divided in accordance with their single-donor plasma contents. Results: For drugs with dose-dependent pharmacodynamics, no deferral periods are necessary for donation of blood products containing less than 50 ml single-donor plasma for application to adults. Waiting periods of tmax + 5 t 1/2 were calculated for the other blood products. Teratogenic drugs do not require special considerations (exception: retinoids, thalidomide and lenalidomide, dutasteride or finasteride with waiting periods for all blood products). A deferral period of t max + 24 t 1/2 is proposed for every blood product from blood donors on genotoxic drugs. Drugs without systemic effects can be neglected. Irreversible inhibitors of platelet function cause a 10-day waiting period if production of platelet concentrates is intended. Conclusion: Donors on medication are allowed to donate blood for blood products containing less than 50 ml plasma of a single donor, like red blood cell concentrates, for the use in adults without deferral periods, except those taking retinoids, thalidomide, lenalidomide, dutasteride, finasteride, or genotoxic drugs.