A bill introduced in the Montana State Legislature in January that would prohibit blood donations from individuals vaccinated for COVID-19 has been tabled. House Bill #645 stated, “[a] person may not knowingly donate whole blood, plasma, blood products, blood derivatives, human tissue, organs, or bones containing gene-altering proteins, nanoparticles, high-count spike proteins from long COVID-19, or other isolates introduced by mRNA or DNA vaccines, mRNA or DNA chemotherapies, or other novel mRNA or DNA pharmaceutical biotechnologies” or knowingly “use, receive, accept, ship, transfer, or administer” blood products or human tissue or organs that met the aforementioned criteria.
America’s Blood Centers (ABC) member blood center Vitalant testified at a state legislative hearing and voiced concerns and opposition to the bill along with other organizations from the health care community. ABC also sent a letter to the Montana State Legislature expressing “strong opposition” to the bill and its potential for endangering patients’ lives. The ABC letter stated “[t]here “is no medical reason to prohibit blood donation from individuals who have received COVID-19 vaccination, and there is no scientific evidence that demonstrates adverse outcomes from the transfusions of blood products collected from vaccinated donors. Blood donations from individuals who have received a COVID-19 vaccine approved or authorized for use in the U.S. are safe for transfusion. On multiple occasions, the Food and Drug Administration has confirmed that there is no evidence to support concerns related to the safety of blood donated by vaccinated individuals.”
A joint statement from the national blood community in January addressing misinformation concerning COVID-19 vaccines and blood donations and an ABC FAQ on blood donations and COVID-19 vaccines are also available.