Good news for donors receiving acupuncture therapy
From 31st August 2026, there will be a relaxation in the rules for blood donors receiving acupuncture therapy.
You will be able to donate immediately if you have had acupuncture:
- as an NHS treatment
- from a registered health care practitioner, such as a nurse or physiotherapist
- from a practitioner in the UK who is working in compliance with the licencing and registration requirements in their local authority area.
This includes treatment with single-use sterile needles.
If your acupuncture practitioner isn’t in one of the categories above, you will need to wait until four months after treatment before giving blood. As these changes only apply to acupuncture, you may also have to wait if you are receiving any other complementary therapies.
What should you do next?
If you are receiving acupuncture treatment from a practitioner in one of the categories above, and you meet all of our other donor selection rules, you will be able to give blood straight away. We’d love to see you soon at one of our blood donation sessions. Remember that our staff will also check that the reason you are receiving acupuncture treatment doesn’t stop you giving blood. Call our donor care line if you are not sure and we will be very happy to help.
- Make an appointment to give blood using your Online Donor Account, or by calling us on 0345 90 90 999 (Mon-Fri, 9am-5pm)