Antibiotics

Antibiotics

You cannot give blood if you currently have an infection. If antibiotics are taken for the treatment of an infection, you must be fully recovered for at least 14 days and have completed the course of antibiotics at least 7 days before donating.

You cannot give blood if you are taking antibiotics on an on-going basis to prevent an infection, for example because you had your spleen removed.

Acne / acne rosacea

You can give blood if you have acne and if there is no current infection. You can give blood if you are taking certain antibiotics on an ongoing basis to keep your acne under control. These include ByMycin, Clinimycin, Erymax, Erythrocin, Minocin SA, Minox 50, Stiemycin, Tetracycline, Tetralysal and Vibramycin 50.

You can give blood if you are taking Dianette for acne and if there is no current infection. If your skin is infected and you needed to take a course of antibiotics, you must be fully recovered for at least 2 weeks before you can give blood and you must also have finished the course at least one week before giving blood. You cannot give blood if you have ever been treated with Etretinate (Tigason). You can give blood 12 months after you have been treated with Acitretin (Neotigason)

You can give blood 4 weeks after finishing treatment with:

  • Adapalene (Differin)
  • Isotretinoin (Roaccutane)
  • Tazarotene (Zorac)
  • Tretinoin (Retin A)