NCI-Frederick Research Donor Program

DONOR ELIGIBILITY AND ENROLLMENT

Establishment of the RDP donor pool is accomplished by voluntary employee enrollment. Individuals must be employees of the NCI-Frederick or Fort Detrick community, must be age 18 or older, and weigh at least 110 pounds to be eligible for inclusion in the RDP donor pool. In addition, donors must attend a scheduled RDP Counseling meeting and submit to select blood-borne pathogen and CBC testing upon inclusion and every six months thereafter. Individuals with any of the following will be excluded from the donor pool:

• History of chronic illness which might increase the risk associated with phlebotomy including,but not limited to, heart, lung, or kidney disease.
• Current acute illness.
• History of clotting disorders.
• Current medications which might increase the risk associated with phlebotomy.
• History of syncope or other difficulty with venipuncture.
• Anemia, as determined by CBC or hematocrit.
• Positive blood test for exposure to HIV-1, HIV-2, HTLV-1, HTLV-2, HIV p24 Ag, HBV sAg or HCV sAb.

Each donor will sign an Informed Consent Form to participate in the program.

Prior to each donation, individuals will be shown a Donor Alert Questionnaire which includes a list of activities and conditions which indicate a high risk of HIV infection, and will be asked not to donate if any apply.

The program requirements and Consent Form for the RDP are similar to those in place for NIH Transfusion Blood Bank donors and the American Red Cross Blood Bank. The donor's blood sample for testing will be drawn at the same time as the individual's first blood donation for any six-month period. All donor information for the program is maintained in records that are protected by Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA).

If you have questions regarding the screening tests, Donor Alert Questionnaire, Informed Consent, or RDP record keeping procedures, please call OHS x 1096.

If you are interested in volunteering as a donor, please e-mail Occupational Health Services, or call Ext. 1096.