Minimum age for blood donation raised to 70 years
New Ministry of Health rules allow healthy seniors to contribute
Portaria GM/MS 11.685/2026, published in July, amends the technical regulation for hemotherapy and permits people aged 70 or older, provided they are healthy, to donate blood. The change takes effect this Wednesday (30) and brings other updates on safety and traceability.
Who can donate blood from age 70
The new criterion includes adults 70 years or older who are deemed fit during the clinical screening performed by hemotherapy services. The minimum age remains 16 for adolescents, who need parental authorization.
How clinical assessment and donation frequency work
To be accepted, the candidate must undergo a clinical assessment that checks health conditions and suitability. The regulation defines specific intervals and donation frequencies for the 70‑plus age group, according to safety standards.
Changes to deferral periods and mandatory tests
The deferral period for donation after travel to malaria‑endemic areas is now 30 days, reduced from up to 12 months. In addition, Brazil makes malaria testing mandatory in 100% of screening exams, using Bio‑Manguinhos/Fiocruz’s NAT Plus, which also detects HIV and hepatitis B and C.
New traceability standards and platelet validity
The international ISBT 128 standard is adopted to identify blood bags and samples, allowing tracking of the material at every stage, from collection to transfusion. The platelet shelf life increases from five to seven days, provided required quality‑control measures are met.
Expected impact on SUS collections
In 2025, SUS recorded 3.26 million collections, with a rate of 15.29 donations per thousand inhabitants, the highest since the pandemic. The Ministry of Health indicates the new rules aim to expand blood availability and reduce waste, especially of platelets used in treating cancer patients, those undergoing chemotherapy, or with hematologic diseases.
"We encourage the Brazilian population to seek hemotherapy services, confident that they will be received with all necessary care and safety," says the Ministry of Health.
Information from GZH.
Source: GZH