New rules state that those who received a tattoo in the past 12 months with single-use ink and needles are permitted to donate blood without a deferral period.
In order to eliminate the risk of virus transmission from donor to recipient, the American Red Cross uses the American Association of Blood Banking (AABB) standards for deferring persons who received a tattoo within the previous 12 months.
Now, in the Great Lakes Blood Services Region of the American Red Cross, blood donors who have received a tattoo in the past 12 months in a tattoo facility that uses sterile needles and single-use ink and can confirm the use of sterile needles and single-use ink are permitted to donate blood without a deferral period.
“We are pleased to be able to eliminate the deferral period on those that have received a tattoo at a state-regulated facility,” said Sharon Jaksa, CEO for the Great Lakes Blood Services Region. “Keeping these donors from having to wait to donate blood helps us maintain a healthy blood supply.”
Effective Jan. 23, with the implementation of BioArch (R1) at Red Cross Blood drives, the Great Lakes Region will no longer defer donors who have received a tattoo within the past 12 months if the tattoo was applied in a state-regulated facility that uses sterile needles and single-use ink.
Donors will be asked questions during the health history process that will allow them to disclose when and where they received a tattoo. Their eligibility will be determined based on whether or not the tattoo was received in a state that has regulations pertaining to tattoo facilities.
Michigan is the 39th state that does not require deferral because the state now has regulations pertaining to tattoo facilities. There are 11 states, plus the District of Columbia, that still require a 12-month deferral after tattoo application.
If a donor was deferred prior to Jan. 23, 2012 for receiving a tattoo in Michigan (even if it was at a state-regulated facility), he/she will not be able to donate until the end of their assigned deferral period. (i.e. if a donor attempted to donate in Aug. 2011 and was ineligible due to receiving a tattoo, they will not be eligible to donate again until the end of their deferral period, which is 12 months from the date they received the tattoo).
The Southeastern Michigan Region of the American Red Cross will implement BioArch on March 26 and will continue to defer all donors who have received a tattoo in Michigan within the last 12 months until the implementation date (March 26).
BioArch, which stands for Biomedical Architecture, is a new customer service program developed by the Red Cross, and demonstrated at local blood drives, to better serve donors, sponsors and hospital customers.
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