Who can donate blood products?

In some countries, certain groups of people are banned from donating blood products for a specific period of time because they are more likely to be HIV-positive.3

The main reason for the ban is that they may be infected with HIV but it hasn’t shown up on an HIV test yet (it can take up to 3 months after infection for HIV to show up on a test).4

Groups of people that may be banned for some time or for life include men who have sex with men, sex workers, and people who inject drugs. Certain activities such as having a tattoo or body piercing, or if you are living with a certain health condition may also mean you can’t donate blood for a while