What are the long term risks of donating blood?
Parents (me included) sometimes make the enormous mistake of thinking we’re entitled to have an opinion on everything our kids get into, as if we knew… I take it neither of your parents are doctors, otherwise they’d know that donating blood hasn’t got any contraindications (as long as you follow the rules such as not working out for a day, refraining from drinking, waiting three months to donate again [four if you only donate erythrocytes, two weeks if you only donate platelets], increasing your liquid intake) and can be in fact healthy for you as your blood will be newer and better once it regenerates. Of course, there’s the risk of getting a mediocre doctor or nurse using a recycled needle and violating the involved laws and guidelines (in all fields there are people who break the rules anyway), but to stop donating just because of a tiny risk would be like never crossing the street just in case a drunk driver rolls you over, or never taking a shower just in case you trip on the so
