On 14 January 2018 the Blood Service increased the minimum age for whole blood donation from 16 to 18 years of age for both males and females. The policy applies to new and existing donors and has been implemented in the interest of the health and wellbeing of our youngest donors.
Donating whole blood means donating red blood cells which are rich in iron. Blood donation may therefore contribute to low iron levels. Low iron levels can cause fatigue, impair cognition and reduce exercise performance. Understanding how donation can impact iron status, donor health and the ongoing eligibility to donate is an important area of work for the Blood Service. Understanding the impacts in youth donors has been an area of specific focus as these donors are at a critical time in their academic, physical and social development.
Until recently, there has been limited donor studies involving donors aged 16 and 17. Blood Service research undertaken in 2012 showed the prevalence of low iron stores in new male and female blood donors aged 16 and 17 is higher compared with new donors in older cohorts. This difference can be attributed to the additional iron requirements needed by younger donors for growth and development, a lower daily intake of dietary iron, and in females, the iron loss associated with menstruation.
As a result of this research, in 2014 the Blood Service increased the donation interval for donors aged 16 and 17 years of age from 12 weeks to one year. The change was designed to allow these donors more time to replenish their iron after donation. More recently, the outcome of an international study, the Comparison of the History of Donation and Iron LeveLs in Teen Blood Donors (CHILL) study supported our earlier findings, providing evidence to suggest a further policy change was warranted.
The increase in the minimum age to donate whole blood to 18 years on 14 January 2018 will ensure that younger donors aren’t losing iron through blood donation at a critical time in their growth and development. The Blood Service is confident that this change will not impact our ability to secure Australia’s blood supply.
To help support the transition to the new policy, the policy change has been communicated to all our existing youth donors and school groups. To promote awareness of the importance of blood donation we will continue to provide educational resources to schools and we are collaborating with the Australian Red Cross to provide information on alternative volunteering opportunities to help encourage youth donors to continue their community engagement.