# Medications — Blood donor deferral criteria compared across national blood services

For Medications, blood service is American Red Cross (US); waiting period is 1 month; condition is after last dose of Accutane, Amnesteem, Absorica, Claravis, Myorisan, Sotret or Zenatane (isotretinoin), Proscar (finasteride), and Propecia (finasteride); 6 months for Avodart or Jalyn (dutasteride); 3 years for Soriatane (acitretin); 2 years for Arava, Erivedge, Odomzo, Aubagio; Tegison (etretinate) at any time is permanent exclusion; outcome is temporary deferral, recorded from its source on 2026-08-06.

- **Criterion:** Medications _(verified: appears in the quote below)_
- **Blood service:** American Red Cross (US) _(our reading, not quoted from the source)_
- **Waiting period:** 1 month _(verified: appears in the quote below)_
- **Condition:** after last dose of Accutane, Amnesteem, Absorica, Claravis, Myorisan, Sotret or Zenatane (isotretinoin), Proscar (finasteride), and Propecia (finasteride); 6 months for Avodart or Jalyn (dutasteride); 3 years for Soriatane (acitretin); 2 years for Arava, Erivedge, Odomzo, Aubagio; Tegison (etretinate) at any time is permanent exclusion
- **Outcome:** temporary deferral _(our reading, not quoted from the source)_

## What the source says

> Over-the-counter oral homeopathic medications, herbal remedies, and nutritional supplements are acceptable. There are a handful of drugs that are of special significance in blood donation. Persons on these drugs have waiting periods following their last dose before they can donate blood: Accutane, Amnesteem, Absorica, Claravis, Myorisan, Sotret or Zenatane (isotretinoin), Proscar (finasteride), and Propecia (finasteride) - wait 1 month from the last dose.

## Source

- https://www.redcrossblood.org/donate-blood/how-to-donate/eligibility-requirements/eligibility-criteria-alphabetical.html

Last verified: 2026-08-06. Review by: 2027-02-02.
Part of [Blood donor deferral criteria compared across national blood services](https://referencesource.org/blood-donor-deferral-criteria/).