Australia Revises Donor Eligibility for Donors With Recent Tattoos

Australians are now eligible to donate blood one week from their most recent tattoo thanks to a new eligibility rule introduced by the Australian Red Cross Lifeblood on Monday. Prior to the rule change, donors with tattoos could donate plasma without a deferral period but had to wait four months to donate blood.

The new rule applies only to tattoos received in licensed Australian tattoo parlors or cosmetic clinics. People who received tattoos in unlicensed or overseas premises will still need to wait four months before donating.

Lifeblood based its decision on findings from a study of tattooed donors indicating that those tattooed in Australian licensed tattoo parlors or cosmetic clinics are safe to donate. Lifeblood estimates that the revised eligibility criteria could potentially contribute up to 10,000 extra donations each year.

In the United States, there is no deferral period for donors who received a tattoo in a state-regulated facility with sterile needles and single-use ink. People who receive tattoos in facilities or states that are not regulated are deferred for three months. Prospective donors should check with their local blood collector for state-specific information.