Hemostasis Today

José Antonio García Erce: Why Healthy Older Adults Should Keep Donating Blood?
Apr 30, 2026, 17:20

José Antonio García Erce: Why Healthy Older Adults Should Keep Donating Blood?

José Antonio García Erce, Vocal-elect of the Board of the Spanish Society of Hematology and Hemotherapy, shared a post on LinkedIn:

Where is the limit? 

Recommendation (2025)

‘If it is a person over 66 years of age who has been donating blood on a regular basis (a donation in the last 24 months), more important than age is to evaluate their state of health.’

In the Pan American Health Organization’s Evidence-Based Update, published in Washington in 2025, it is stated verbatim:

Upper limit:

Evidence is growing that it is safe for older people to donate blood from regular donors in countries with a high life expectancy.

Studies show that exclusion based solely on older age appears to be unjustified on safety grounds and that healthy older people can continue to donate safely and contribute to the blood supply, beyond arbitrary age limits.

When older people who donate blood satisfactorily meet the acceptance criteria, there is no increase in the adverse reactions associated with donation.

The recommendation is that the limit in this age group be defined according to the life expectancy of the population and the culture of voluntary blood donation for the elderly in each country.’

In Spain, still with one of the longest life expectancies, after Japan, our veteran regular donors should have the right and freedom to continue donating, on a regular basis, if they are in good health and meet the other criteria.”

Stay updated on all scientific advances with Hemostasis Today.