PPTA Donor History Questionnaire

The Full-Length PPTA Donor History Questionnaire (DHQ) and Abbreviated Questionnaire are designed to aid plasma sourcing organizations in evaluating a prospective donor’s history relative to current known safety risks, FDA regulations and recommendations, PPTA voluntary standards, and optionally, European requirements. The Full-Length PPTA DHQ is designed as a stand-alone questionnaire that may be used at each donation. It may also be used in conjunction with an abbreviated form for frequent donors.

Step by step on how to donate plasma

The following documents are included as part of the PPTA Donor History Questionnaire:

Version 3.0 (June 2023) – Medication List updated July 2025

The version 3.0 of the questionnaires and accompanying materials have been reviewed by FDA and version 3.0 has been recognized on June 14, 2023, by the FDA in a Guidance for Industry as an acceptable mechanism for collecting donor history information from Source Plasma donors. The materials are consistent with FDA's requirements and recommendations for collecting Source Plasma donor history information. The Guidance for Industry also includes the categories for reporting to FDA.

Version 3.0 includes changes in donor eligibility criteria that are included in two FDA guidance documents:

FDA Guidance, May 2022: Recommendations to Reduce the Possible Risk of Transmission of Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease and Variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease by Blood and Blood Components

 

FDA Guidance, May 2023: Recommendations for Evaluating Donor Eligibility Using Individual Risk-Based Questions to Reduce the Risk of Human Immunodeficiency Virus Transmission by Blood and Blood Products

Occasionally, PPTA (usually in consultation with AABB’s donor history task force) determines that a change to the FDA-recognized documents is needed. PPTA will post revisions, noted by the revision date, in the space below. Those documents may differ from the FDA-recognized documents if:


  • PPTA determines that the actions FDA has proposed in draft guidance are clear and important enough to warrant updating the DHQ     before FDA issues the final guidance document recognizing the new PPTA DHQ version.
  • A change is made to the DHQ and/or materials related to donor eligibility issues for which FDA makes no requirement nor     recommendation (e.g., history of cancer; previous organ, tissue, or bone marrow transplant and bone or skin graft).
  • The Medication Deferral List has been updated.

When a change is made, PPTA will notify membership via communications and the Leadership Briefing prior to posting the new version on the PPTA website.

Licensed blood establishments planning to implement a new version of the PPTA DHQ materials that has not been officially recognized by the FDA must submit a formal request to the FDA for approval. The facility should contact their Consumer Safety Officer for the proper reporting category.

Ebola

Based on FDA’s Recommendations for Assessment of Blood Donor Eligibility, Donor Deferral and Blood Product Management in Response to an Ebola Disease Outbreak, June 2026 PPTA is providing the following guidance for the temporary addition of materials to be used during periods with widespread transmission.

 

This information applies as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is monitoring an outbreak of Bundibugyo virus disease in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and Uganda.  Bundibugyo virus is one of four Orthoebolaviruses that causes Ebola disease in humans.

 

Ebola virus is transmitted from human to human by direct exposure to body fluids (such as blood, urine, stool, saliva, semen, vaginal fluids or vomit) from infected individuals. Healthcare workers and family and friends providing care may have direct exposure to body fluids of infected patients. If direct exposure occurs, a person is at high risk of developing Ebola virus infection and must not donate plasma.

Ebola temporary additions to questionnaires, flowcharts, and risk poster:

Risk Poster (Note: If there are any changes to the new version that aren’t reflected here, make sure this section matches the accepted Risk Poster language):

DO NOT DONATE PLASMA if:

  • You have EVER had Ebola disease
  • In the PAST 8 WEEKS you have lived in, or travelled to, a country with widespread Ebola disease, as specified by FDA (current the Democratic Republic of Congo and Uganda).
  • In the PAST 8 WEEKS, you have had sexual contact with a person who has EVER had Ebola disease, regardless of the length of time since recovery.
  • In the PAST 8 WEEKS, you have had direct exposure to the body fluids (such as blood, urine, stool, saliva, semen, vaginal fluids or vomit) of a person with Ebola disease, including a person under investigation.
  • In the PAST 8 WEEKS, you have been notified by a public health authority that you may have been exposed to a person with Ebola disease.

PLEASE CONTACT THE DONOR CENTER, if you develop the following symptoms within the 8-week period following donation:

Fever                                                                            Diarrhea
Severe Headache                      followed by:            Vomiting
Muscle Pain and Weakness                                       Abdominal Pain
Fatigue                                                                         Hemorrhage (bleeding or bruising)

Full-length and Abbreviated Questionnaires and Directions for Use Flowcharts:

The additional material intended for use during times of widespread transmission should be added at the end of the current Risk Posters, Full-length DHQ, Abbreviated DHQ and Directions for Use (flowcharts).

Information Related to COVID-19 infection

The FDA has issued information related to COVID-19:  Updated Information for Blood Establishments Regarding the Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) Outbreak, May 11, 2020.

Information Related to Donors’ Use of Antiretroviral Medication for HIV Prevention and Treatment

FDA Important Information for Potential Donors of Blood and Blood Products, December 2019

AABB Association Bulletin #20-04 “The Impact on Blood Safety of Effective Antiretroviral  Medications for HIV Prevention and Treatment” provided for information purposes and is not part of the PPTA DHQ