FDA Lifts Ban On Blood Donations From Gay, Bisexual Men

The FDA relaxed a lot of its longtime ban on blood donations from homosexual and bisexual males, in keeping with the New York Times.

Gay and bisexual males – nonetheless solely these in monogamous relationships – can now donate blood within the U.S. with out having to abstain from intercourse.

FDA Ends Ban On Blood Donations From Gay, Bisexual Men, But Some Restrictions Still Apply

Instead – the FDA will now request all potential donors share particulars of their latest sexual historical past in a type, the Times experiences. That’s no matter sexual orientation, intercourse, or gender.

Among these questions shall be whether or not an individual has had anal intercourse within the final three months and if they’ve had intercourse with new or a number of companions in that very same time-frame.

However, a number of bans will stay in place for these with new or a number of sexual companions or people who have participated in anal intercourse inside the final three months. The ban equally extends to these prescribed oral PrEP to keep away from HIV.

Meanwhile, shortages in blood provide and new donations have prompted the FDA to revise their tips, deemed discriminatory by critics.

Move Is Latest By FDA To Broaden Donor Availability After COVID-19 Pandemic Donations Decline

Blood donations declined throughout and after the pandemic as a result of there have been fewer blood drives at colleges and places of work.

The FDA stated the brand new changes to the screening coverage stay in step with guidelines within the U.Okay. and Canada.

It’s the newest transfer by the FDA to broaden donor eligibility and enhance donations. The transfer additionally comes amidst widespread stress from LGBTQ teams, who name the ban discriminatory.

Meanwhile, those that have beforehand examined optimistic for HIV nonetheless can not donate blood. Those taking treatment to forestall HIV by means of sexual contact will stay banned till three months after their final dose.

The federal company experiences that sure HIV drugs (PrEP) can typically delay the virus’s detection in screening checks.

Updated tips for blood donation insurance policies have been finalized on Thursday by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), loosening restrictions for males who’ve intercourse with males. pic.twitter.com/AWWjCIKC6p

— CGTN America (@cgtnamerica) May 11, 2023

A History Of Blood Donation Restrictions For Gay, Bisexual Men, Current Screening Questions

Any potential blood donor should reply questions concerning their sexual historical past, drug use (injectable medicine), new tattoos, and new piercings.

The blood is then examined for HIV, hepatitis C, syphilis, and different infectious ailments earlier than being eligible for donation, in keeping with the Times.

It’s simply the newest step for the FDA to catch as much as new social mores during the last a number of years.

In 2015, the FDA dropped a lifetime ban on males who’ve intercourse with males earlier than requiring one yr of abstinence, per NPR.

Just a few years later, the federal company shortened the abstinence interval from 12 months to a few months.

Donations plummeting in the course of the COVID-19 pandemic largely prompted the transfer to shorten abstinence instances.

Years later, regulators stated there have but to be destructive impacts on the blood provide as a consequence of coronavirus.