Seattle is one of 16 North American host cities for the world’s most-watched sporting event, coming to us in June – 10 others are in the US, three are in Mexico (Guadalajara, Mexico City, and Monterrey), and two are in Canada (Toronto and Vancouver).
Just like soccer (or fútbol) fandom, blood donation in Canada and Mexico can look a little different from in the United States.
While Mexico is one of the world’s largest countries, both in terms of population (nearly 133 million people) and economy, the nation’s blood supply varies broadly across region and socioeconomic class.
Mexico’s 530 blood centers collected 1.6 million units in 2023, though access to blood remains a critical barrier in remote areas or impoverished communities. A little over half of blood donation centers (52%) are public, and the rest (48%) are private.
The Ministry of Health launched the National Blood System in 2022 to improve infrastructure and ensure timely delivery to all patients. A major difference is the absence of a defined system of community recruitment: patients historically have needed to find donors to cover their needs.
Like the US, Mexico relies on volunteer blood donors, but people may still turn to the black market to cover gaps in access to transfusions. El Centro Nacional de la Transfusión Sanguínea (National Center of Blood Transfusion) under the Ministry of Health governs blood collection, processing, and transfusion.
A few differences in eligibility in Mexico and in the United States stand out.
Have had no symptoms of acute illness in the past 15 days: In the US, there may be a wait after taking certain medications or specific illnesses, but generally as long as you are feeling healthy at the time of your donation, you are eligible.
Not have consumed more than one alcoholic drink (or equivalent) in the past 72 hours: we can’t accept impaired donors, and heavy drinking prior to your donation is not a good idea, since alcohol leads to dehydration. We want donors to be hydrated and feeling well! However, we have no specific rules around consuming alcohol in the days leading up to your appointment.
Observe a short fasting period: 2 hours for blood donation and 4 hours for platelet donation: we encourage you to eat a hearty meal prior to donating!
Mexico is slightly more cautious with waiting periods. There’s a six-month wait after delivering a baby (it’s a six-week wait in the US) and four-week wait to donate platelets after giving whole blood (it’s only three days in the US)!
Parasitic infections like Chagas are endemic to some Mexican regions due to the warmer climate. While we place a temporary deferral on donors who have visited these regions, the people who live there still need blood! Therefore, Mexico places focus on people who may have visited rural areas, ranches, or farms or come into contact with livestock or wild animals.
Canada revamped their blood system in the late 1990s after the Commission of Inquiry on the Blood System in Canada (known as the Krever Inquiry, after its commissioner) found that the Canadian Red Cross did not adequately prevent transfusion of HIV- and Hepatitis C-positive blood in the 1980s.
As a result of this breach of trust, blood donation in Canada dipped dramatically.
Today, all blood is collected by two nonprofits: Canadian Blood Services and Héma-Québec. These organizations also collect plasma for pharmaceutical manufacture, stem cells, and human tissues.
The Department of Biologics under Health Canada oversees blood donation at the federal level. Health Canada’s Blood Regulations and Food and Drugs Act outline regulations for blood safety.
At almost 42 million people, Canada is the smallest country by population in North America. Together, Canadian Blood Services and Héma-Québec have more than 554,000 blood donors – a level far below 300,000 donors prior to the Krever Inquiry – and delivered more than 1.1 million units of transfusable blood components to patients in 2024.
A few differences in eligibility in Canada and in the United States stand out.
Canada uses the metric system, so each whole blood donation is 450 mL (equivalent to a pint).
At least 17 years old: In the U.S., the minimum age to donate is 16. For young donors (17 to 23) Canada factors both weight and height into eligibility.
Tattoos: Canadian donors must wait three months after getting any tattoo, piercing, microblading, or permanent makeup. At Bloodworks, if your body art was done in a licensed facility in our approved states (including Washington and Oregon), there is no wait to donate.
Like Mexico, there’s also a six-month wait after delivering a baby in Canada (it’s a six-week wait in the U.S.).
Canada has slightly stricter travel requirements: there is a waiting period of 21 days after return from a trip outside of Canada, the U.S., Europe or Antarctica, with longer periods for visits to malaria-risk areas; at Bloodworks, we evaluate travel based on the specific region visited. Donors previously needed to wait 21 days after returning from Hawaii, though this was overturned in 2024.
…Different countries have different populations and cultures and therefore may have different requirements and regulations around blood donation. And, like in the US, these are always evolving based on current science.
However, one truth is certain: blood is a global need.
Independent community blood centers like Bloodworks make up 60% of the blood supply in the United states. Schedule your next appointment today!
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