Am I eligible to donate plasma?

Great question! Any healthy person who meets the eligibility criteria can donate plasma.

To become a plasma donor, having a history of making regular blood donations helps, but is not always necessary. 

Take our two-minute eligibility quiz to find out if you can donate plasma. If you are determined to be eligible online, you will be able to book your first appointment. Final eligibility will be determined by our staff at our donation centres. Visit our donating plasma page to learn more about how plasma donation works.

Book now to donate blood and plasma

Am I eligible?  

 

New to donating plasma?

Any person in general good health, who meets our eligibility criteria, may donate plasma as often as once a week. All blood types are needed. You can donate plasma if you:

  • Weigh over 50kg (110 lb.) 
  • Are in general good health
  • Are 17 years of age or older
  • Meet the eligibility criteria

The process for donating plasma is similar to donating blood. The main difference between them is how they are collected. During a plasma donation, we separate the blood components through a process called apheresis so that we collect only plasma from you. The rest of your blood (red blood cells, white blood cells and platelets) is then returned to you as you donate. 

Learn more about the plasma donation process

Donation frequency

On the day of your donation, it is important that you are hydrated, have eaten, had adequate sleep and in good general health. 

We encourage you to create a routine of donation. You can donate: 

  • Plasma every 6-56 days, depending on the donor program
  • Whole blood every 56 days for males, every 84 days for females
  • You can choose to donate either plasma or whole blood, depending on your eligibility and preference. It’s important to note that you will need to wait 56 days between each program.
  • Platelets every 14 days

Regular donations are crucial for ensuring patients receive the life-saving treatments they need.

Book your next appointment

Changes to donation criteria

We have recently updated our eligibility criteria for blood and plasma donation. If you did not meet our eligibility criteria in the past, you might now be eligible to donate!

Some of the updates include:

  • If you’ve lived or spent time in the United Kingdom, Republic of Ireland or France during the ‘mad cow disease’ outbreak of the 1980s and 1990s, you may now be eligible to donate blood, plasma and platelets in Canada.
  • You may be able to donate plasma if you visited or lived in a malaria-risk area or have a history of malaria infection. This is because donated plasma is manufactured into medications and during this process pathogens in plasma are eliminated.

To view all of the changes, please click here. Keep checking our website for up-to-date information on donor eligibility. 

Donating plasma

If you are in good health and meet eligibility criteria, you can donate plasma as frequently as every seven days. To become a plasma donor, having a history of making regular blood donations helps, but is not always necessary.

Donating plasma
Donating blood

It only takes about an hour of your time to change someone’s life. If you are in good health and meet our eligibility criteria, you can donate blood as frequently as every 56 days for males and every 84 days for females.

Donating blood
Donating platelets

When a blood vessel is damaged, platelets cluster together and stick to the opening of the broken vessel to plug the hole. If you are in good health and meet our eligibility criteria, you can donate platelets as frequently as every 14 days.

Donating platelets