Medications

The following are the most common medications that cause a deferral:

Antibiotics for treatment of current infection

• The infection is the risk, not the medication.  You must finish the entire dose of antibiotic and be free of symptoms before you can donate.
• Topical (surface) treatments are acceptable (such as acne or toenail fungus).

There is a two-day deferral when donating plasma for:

• Fondaparinux (Arixtra®)
• Apixaban (Eliquis®)
• Dalteparin (Fragmin®)
• Enoxaparin (Lovenox®)
• Dabigatran (Pradaxa®)
• Edoxaban (Savaysa®)
• Rivaroxaban (Xarelto®)

There is no deferral time for other donation types for the items listed above.

There is a seven-day deferral for:

• Heparin
• Warfarin (Coumadin® or Jantoven® or Warfilone®) for plasma donations only

There is a one-month deferral for:

• Finasteride (Proscar® or Propecia ® or Propecia ProPak®)
• Isotretinoin (Absorica® or Accutane® or Amnesteem® or Claravis® or Myorisan® or Sotret® or Zenatane®)
• Thalidomide (Thalidomid®)
• Upadacitinib (Rinvoq®)

There is a six-week deferral for:

• Mycophenolate mofetil (Cellcept®)
• Mycophenolic Acid (Myfortic)

There is a three-month deferral for:

• Tenofovir, emtricitabine, dolutegravir or raltegravir (Truvada®, Descovy®, Tivicay® or Isentress®)
• Pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) taken orally

There is a six-month deferral for:

• Dutasteride (Avodart® or Jalyn®)

There is a 12-month deferral for:

• Hepatitis B Immune Globulin

There is a two-year deferral for:

• Teriflunomide (Aubagio®)
• Vismodegib (Erivedge®)
• Sonidegib (Edomzo®)
• Leflunomide (Arava®)
• Pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) by injection (Apretude®)

There is a three-year deferral for:

• Acitretin (Soriatane ®)

You are not eligible to donate if you have taken:

• Etretinate (Tegison®)
• Antiretroviral therapy for HIV