16-YEAR-OLDS COULD DONATE BLOOD IF PARENTS APPROVE

Legislation is under consideration to specify in Iowa law that a 16-year-old may donate blood to a "voluntary and non-compensatory" blood program, but only if the 16-year-old first obtains written consent from a parent or guardian.

This legislation is intended to clarify Iowa law, which currently only states that a person age 17 and over can donate blood without parental consent. Iowa law provides no direction on whether younger Iowans can donate with parental consent.