Become a Blood Donor!

There is no substitute for blood. Blood is a living material and cannot be produced artificially – it must be given. Many people cannot survive without blood transfusions and rely on blood donor help.

Blood has limited shelf life. Therefore, the blood banks must constantly replenish new blood so as not to go empty. There is a need for many new blood donors every year to replace those that can no longer provide blood for various reasons.

Blood donors are vital for the health services in Norway. If you register as a blood donor, you make an important contribution to the society.

How do you become a blood donor?

You can register as a blood donor at all blood banks in Norway by registering on the website giblod.no

Who can give blood?

The main rule is that you can register as a blood donor if you:

  • are between 18 and 60 years
  • feel completely healthy
  • weigh over 50 kg
  • are not at risk for HIV, hepatitis or other diseases that can be transmitted through blood

Blood transfusion must not be harmful for the blood donor or the recipient. The blood bank considers each donor carefully before allowing them to give blood.

Who cannot give blood?

As a rule, you cannot become a blood donor if you:

  • are chronically ill or has had cancer
  • use regular medication (except oral contraceptives, allergy medicines and thyroid hormones)
  • belong to a group with high risk of infectious diseases such as HIV or hepatitis

In many countries there are infectious diseases that can infect via blood, so there are also rules for land of origin and for longer stays in these countries.

Do I get money for giving blood?

No. Blood donations, according to the national blood regulations, must be voluntary and free of charge. This does not prevent blood banks from giving you a small gift of insignificant value.

How often can you give blood?

You can give blood up to four times a year. You should eat before giving blood and drink a little more than usual before and just after giving blood.

What happens when you give blood?

  1. Every time you donate blood you fill out a questionnaire, show identification and undergo an interview.
  2. Health personnel disinfects the puncture site carefully and checks your identity to make sure the blood bags is properly labeled.
  3. You get punctured by a needle in your arm and give 450 ml of blood. At the same time, blood samples are collected for testing.
  4. You get a patch on the puncture site and should squeeze it well for the first few minutes.
  5. You donate 10-12 percent of the blood in your body each time. The volume will rebuild within a few hours. To avoid adverse reactions due to fluid loss, rest for 10-15 minutes after giving blood and drink abundantly.

You can ask questions at any time in the process – the staff has a duty of confidentiality.

Source: helsenorge.no