Plasma donation collects the liquid portion of the blood, which is used to create life-saving pharmaceutical products treating various medical conditions. A diagnosis of gonorrhea means you cannot donate plasma immediately. An active infection or receiving treatment results in a temporary deferral from donation centers. This deferral is a standard safety measure protecting both the donor and the integrity of the collected plasma product.
Eligibility Status: Active Infection and Deferral
A diagnosis of gonorrhea results in a temporary deferral, preventing donation until a specific time frame has passed after successful treatment. This deferral is not a permanent ban, as gonorrhea is a bacterial infection that can be effectively cured with medication.
The deferral period is specifically three months following the completion of the appropriate antibiotic treatment. This waiting period ensures the infection has been fully eradicated. The deferral begins from the last day of treatment, not the day of diagnosis, and the donor must be symptom-free to be considered for re-entry.
Regulatory Mandates for Donor Safety
The need to defer donors with active infections stems directly from stringent federal oversight designed to safeguard the plasma supply. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) provides comprehensive guidance and regulations for collection establishments, outlining the criteria for donor suitability and product safety.
The plasma collected from donors is often manufactured into complex therapeutic products, such as immunoglobulins and clotting factors, which are administered to patients with compromised immune systems. Therefore, every unit of plasma must meet exceptionally high standards for purity and safety. Screening for infectious agents like Neisseria gonorrhoeae is a preventative measure to reduce any theoretical risk of transmission, even though the bacterium is not typically considered bloodborne.
This mandatory screening process ensures that the raw material used for these medications is as safe as possible before it undergoes further purification and processing. The regulatory framework requires plasma centers to consistently apply these deferral rules, treating a history of gonorrhea or its treatment within the specified window as a risk factor for the quality of the final product. By temporarily deferring donors, the system maintains a robust defense against potential contamination in a product that is relied upon for the health of many vulnerable patients.
Resuming Donations After Treatment
Once a donor has completed the required three-month waiting period following successful treatment, they may become eligible to resume plasma donation. The individual must be completely free of symptoms and feel generally healthy and well to be considered for re-eligibility. A key step in this process is the donor interview, where the individual confirms that the treatment was completed and the deferral period has elapsed.
The center will then assess the donor to ensure all other standard eligibility requirements are met, such as weight, age, and general health status. In some instances, the plasma center may require medical documentation confirming the successful completion of the gonorrhea treatment before lifting the deferral. Successfully navigating this three-month period and meeting all other criteria means the donor is no longer categorized as a temporary risk and can once again contribute to the plasma supply.