Q: There's a blood drive going on, and my friends want me to sign up with them. But I don't like needles. And don't laugh, but I'm worried I might get AIDS.
— Wallace P., Vancouver, B.C.
A: Donating blood is safe and saves lives, as long as you are donating at a reputable event or a Red Cross-sponsored drive — like the blood drive in an episode of "The Office" in which Michael (Steve Carell) passed out before he could get the name of a good-looking woman on the next recliner.
The Red Cross says every minute of every day someone needs blood, yet only three out of 100 people in America donate. So here's how it works:
For the draw, a new, sterile needle is used once and then discarded. We know no one really likes being stuck, but these days the needles are so thin and sharp, you hardly feel them.
You must be 17 years old (in some states, 16), weigh at least 110 pounds and be in good health.
No tattoos within the past 12 months (unless they were applied in N.J., where apparently they're very careful about tattoo sanitation).
You will fill out a registration form, show proper I.D., get a mini-physical (temperature, blood pressure, pulse) and answer questions about your health, sex life and travel history.
Then you relax on a recliner. The tech disinfects an area on your arm, finds a vein and draws out a pint of blood. Eight to 10 minutes later, you're done.
Mehmet Oz, M.D. is host of "The Dr. Oz Show," and Mike Roizen, M.D. is Chief Medical Officer at the Cleveland Clinic Wellness Institute. Submit your health questions at www.doctoroz.com.
(c) 2012 Michael Roizen, M.D. and Mehmet Oz, M.D.
Distributed by King Features Syndicate, Inc.