Including alcohol, body building drugs, chemsex drugs, injected chemsex drugs and non-prescribed drugs used by mouth, inhaled, smoked, snorted or injected

DEFER:

• If the donor is under the influence of or adversely affected by any drug (whether oral inhaled, smoked or snorted) including alcohol, which may affect the process of giving valid consent. This may be until next donation, or permanently, if the donor’s behaviour is likely to constitute a hazard to other donors, staff ore recipients
• Drinking-donor has been, 
• For 7 seven days after last dose of Antabuse (Disulfiram) 
• For 14 days after taking Ecstasy/MDMA, 
• For 14 days after taking any recreational drug/s bought in head shops
• For 4 months after snorting (or rubbing) cocaine or snorting any other non-prescription drug
• For 4 months after having had a drink spiked
• For 4 months after using chemsex drugs (except if used intravenously)

PERMANENTLY EXCLUDE:

• If the donor has ever injected or has been injected with any non-prescribed drugs, even once or a long time ago. This includes body-building drugs and injected chemsex drugs
• If the donor admits or is suspected of illicit intravenous drug-taking 
• If donor admits to being an active chronic alcoholic  
• If donor has clinical evidence of chronic liver disease

SEE IF RELEVANT

• BLOOD SAFETY
• CIRRHOSIS

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

Previous use of non-parenteral recreational drugs does not necessarily require deferral, but bear in mind the possibility that the history given by such donors regarding the use of drugs may be unreliable

Disulfiram (Antabuse) may cause severe reactions in a recipient whose blood contains alcohol. Donors who may be under the influence of recreational drugs and/or alcohol may not be able to give valid consent and/or fully understand the questions and implications of nondisclosure and may therefore compromise their own safety and the safety of recipients

Discretion may be given to donors who have had no more than one drink of alcohol, on the day of donation, several hours prior to presentation. These donors must be able to give valid consent and should be given advice re hydration before donating