MENU

What happens if risk situations aren't disclosed?

Safety is our absolute priority. It's our job to supply the Flemish Community with safe blood products. For this reason, we do everything we can to prevent patients contracting infectious diseases, such as AIDS and hepatitis, through our blood products.

Help us keep blood transfusions safe

You, the donor, are an extremely important factor in blood safety. Have you been exposed to a situation which heightens your risk of AIDS and hepatitis? If so, we ask you not to donate blood, plasma or blood platelets. Please remember that any non-disclosure of a risk situation could have a domino effect.

Disclose risk situations

What if you don't report a risk situation?

Say you've come into contact with contaminated blood. Or you've had sexual contact with somebody who has HIV or the hepatitis virus. If you go on to donate blood, plasma or platelets without reporting this risk situation, this could have dire consequences as the person receiving your blood product could contract HIV or the hepatitis virus themselves as a result.

Be sure to report every risk situation!

It is absolutely essential that you report every risk situation to safeguard the health of the patient receiving your blood product. You can report a risk situation in the medical questionnaire while talking to the doctor, or  you can do so after your donation by disclosing risk situations. 

Risk situations for AIDS and hepatitis

You may not give blood, plasma or platelets for 4 months if:

  • you have got a new sexual partner;
  • If another person's blood (or a bodily fluid such as saliva, amniotic fluid, etc.) has been in contact with your broken skin or mucous membranes, you will have to wait four months before being eligible to donate again. You will also have to wait four months if you have been pricked by a needle or sharp object which may have had blood on it, or if you were bitten by another person.
  • you have sniffed drugs;
  • you have got an STD (not HIV, hepatitis B, hepatitis C or syphilis);
  • your sexual partner has syphilis.

You may not give blood, plasma or platelets for 12 months after the end of one of the below-mentioned risk situations:

  • Your sexual partner is HIV positive or has AIDS.
  • Your sexual partner has hepatitis B or hepatitis C (to be discussed with our doctor or health worker).
  • You are a man and have had sex with another man.
  • You are a woman and your sexual partner is a man who has had sex with another man.
  • Your sexual partner is a man who has had sex with a man.
  • You have had a risky sexual contact and want to know if you’re infected.
  • You or your sexual partner have several sexual partners, or take part in group sex.
  • You come from a country where AIDS or hepatitis is prevalent and have lived in Belgium for less than 1 year.
  • Your sexual partner is from a country where AIDS and/or hepatitis is prevalent (to be discussed with our doctor or health worker).
  • You have been given money or things in exchange for sex.
  • Your sexual partner is a prostitute;
  • You or your sexual partner have paid for sex.

You may never give blood if:

  • You are HIV positive or have AIDS;
  • You have ever had or tested positive for hepatitis B, hepatitis C or syphilis;
  • You have ever injected drugs.