Donor eligibility requirements updated for Hendrick Regional Blood Center

Hendrick Regional Blood Center has updated its donor eligibility requirements to include those who were previously deferred for spending time in certain European countries. Until now, Hendrick did not accept donations from these individuals because of the potential risk of transmission of Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD or vCJD), also known as “mad cow.”

In alignment with the U.S. Federal Drug Administration (FDA) guidance, Germany is no longer on the deferral list for exposure. The new guidelines allow many of Abilene’s military personnel, retired or active, to help maintain the community’s blood supply.

Individuals who believe they may now be eligible should contact Hendrick Regional Blood Center for assessment and to begin the process required to remove donors from a permanent deferral list. For information and to confirm eligibility, please contact Freddie Sosa Jr. at fsosa@hendrickhealth.org or 325-670-2880.