Iron pills boost blood donations in ghana trial
NCT ID NCT06101238
First seen Jun 27, 2026 · Last updated Jun 27, 2026
Summary
This study tested whether giving low-dose iron supplements (65 mg daily) for 6 months helps people with low hemoglobin pass the blood donation screening and successfully donate within a year. Over 500 adults in Ghana who were deferred from donating due to low hemoglobin took part. Half received iron plus nutrition advice; the other half got nutrition advice only. Researchers tracked successful donations and side effects for 12 months.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only — not medical advice or a prediction.
- Active substance
- low-dose elemental iron (65 mg daily)
- What this could lead to
- If successful, this could help blood banks increase safe donations by quickly restoring hemoglobin levels in deferred donors.
- What could go wrong
- This is a completed pragmatic trial in Ghana; results may not apply to other settings. Iron supplements can cause mild stomach upset.
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As listed by the trial registrant
The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.
Contacts and locations
Locations
-
University of Minnesota
Minneapolis, Minnesota, 55414, United States
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