Plasma is a valuable component of blood used to create life-saving therapies. The donation process is regulated by strict safety measures to protect both the donor and the recipient. Before every donation, a comprehensive screening process is conducted, including a health questionnaire, a mini-physical, and laboratory testing. If a prospective donor does not meet these medical standards, they are issued a deferral, meaning they are temporarily or permanently disqualified from donating. Whether a deferred donor can donate at a different plasma center depends entirely on the specific reason for that initial deferral.
The National Donor Deferral Registry
For individuals who receive a permanent disqualification, the answer to donating at another center is a clear no. This restriction is enforced through the National Donor Deferral Registry (NDDR), a mandatory, centralized database used by all licensed plasma collection centers in the United States and Canada. The NDDR was established to prevent high-risk donors from moving between centers to try and donate.
The primary function of this registry is to track donors who have tested reactive for serious infectious agents like the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV), Hepatitis B Virus (HBV), and Hepatitis C Virus (HCV). Any donor who receives a reactive test result for these specific viral markers is permanently deferred and their identifying information is added to the database.
When an applicant presents at any licensed center, their identity is checked against the NDDR to ensure they are not listed as permanently deferred. This system ensures that plasma contaminated with serious transmissible diseases does not enter the supply chain. If a donor’s name is flagged in the NDDR, they will be turned away from every participating center across North America.
Categorizing Deferrals by Duration and Scope
Donor deferrals fall into two main categories: permanent and temporary. Permanent deferrals are the most severe, typically resulting from a reactive test for an infectious disease, which triggers a lifetime ban and entry into the NDDR. These disqualifications are non-negotiable and apply universally across all donation centers.
Temporary deferrals, however, are far more common and are usually related to a donor’s immediate physical state or a recent activity. These short-term disqualifications include factors like low hematocrit (iron levels), high or low blood pressure, a recent fever, or being on a temporary medication. Many of these issues are local to the center’s protocols or the donor’s health on that specific day, meaning they do not result in a national ban.
Other temporary deferrals are based on a required waiting period intended to protect the donor or the plasma supply. For instance, receiving a new tattoo or body piercing requires a waiting period of 12 months in some locations to account for a potential incubation period of certain viruses. Similarly, recent travel to certain malaria-endemic regions may also trigger a temporary deferral to ensure the donor is not carrying the parasite. While these temporary reasons are logged, they expire, and the donor may be eligible to donate again once the waiting period has passed.
Steps for Reinstatement and Future Donation Eligibility
The most important action a deferred donor can take is to ask the center staff for the precise reason and duration of their deferral. Understanding whether the deferral is permanent (NDDR-related) or temporary is the first step toward potential reinstatement. If the deferral is temporary, the center should be able to provide the exact waiting period required before the donor can attempt to donate again.
For common temporary issues, such as low hematocrit, the donor can actively work to resolve the issue by adjusting their diet to increase iron intake or taking supplements. After a procedural deferral, like a recent tattoo or travel, the donor must simply wait for the required time period to elapse, which is often four months or one year depending on the reason. Returning to the original center after the deferral period is the standard procedure for re-establishing eligibility.
For temporary deferrals, re-entry often requires a re-screening, such as a successful repeat blood test for hematocrit or protein levels. Donors should always keep documentation of their deferral to ensure a smooth return to eligibility. In the rare event of a clerical error leading to a permanent NDDR listing, donors have a process to challenge the deferral by contacting the center that reported the initial reactive test.