How can non-French speakers give blood in France?
Rules around donating blood are strict to protect donors and patients alike
Health professionals need to be certain you understand everything about the procedure
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Reader Question: I wanted to give blood but was turned away because my French was apparently not good enough. I fulfilled all the other requirements and often gave blood back in the US. Is there a solution?
Answer: Non-French people living in the country are able to give blood, however minimum language requirements are in place for doing so.
Those wanting to give blood need to answer a number of questions preceding their appointment, which include those asked in-person by an employee at the blood drive or at a donation centre.
To ensure the safety of the person giving blood and anyone who may receive it, the donor must be able to understand the questions they are being asked before they give it.
In general, staff will err on the side of caution and if there is any doubt, refuse to allow a person to be a donor.
Online reviews for several blood donation centres in France have reviews by people citing they were turned away for lack of sufficient French, so yours is not an isolated case.
While there is no official minimum – and you will not be asked to prove your skills via official documents – the government has recommended having at least an ‘intermediate’ or B2 level of French on an official website.
Read more: France declares mental health a national priority
What can I do to give blood?
In 2022, the Etablissement Français du Sang (EFS), which is responsible for handling donations in the country, laid out rules on the matter.
It stated blood could still be given by someone who was deemed not to be proficient enough in French, provided one of the two following conditions is met:
The staff member interviewing them is fluent in a language they can speak (for example, they can speak Portuguese to a Brazilian, English to an American, etc)
You are accompanied by someone who can translate for you.
Despite English being a widely spoken second language in France, there is no guarantee that an employee will be able to speak the language, or feel confident enough in assessing your answers in English.
Your best bet therefore is to come with an interpreter.
This does not have to be an official interpreter but someone who is clearly fluent in French (or is French) and can translate any questions and/or your responses.
