The FDA has largely relaxed a long-standing ban on blood donations from gay and bisexual men, according to The New York Times.
Gay and bisexual men – but only those in a monogamous relationship – can now donate blood in the US without having to abstain from sex.
FDA ends ban on blood donations from gay and bisexual men, but some restrictions still apply
Instead – the FDA will now require all potential donors to share details of their recent sexual history under a form, the Times reported. That is regardless of sexual orientation, gender or gender.
Among those questions would be whether a person has had anal sex in the past three months and whether they have had sex with a new or multiple sex partners in the same time period. .
However, some bans will still apply to people with new or multiple sex partners or those who have engaged in anal sex within the past three months. The same ban applies to people taking PrEP prescribed to avoid HIV.
Meanwhile, a shortage of blood supplies and new donations have prompted the FDA to revise their guidelines, which critics say are discriminatory.
FDA’s latest move to expand donor availability after COVID-19 pandemic donations declined
Blood donation has declined during and after the pandemic because there are fewer blood donations in schools and offices.
The FDA says the new adjustments to the screening policy remain in line with rules in the UK and Canada.
This is the FDA’s latest move to expand donor eligibility and boost donations. The move also comes amid widespread pressure from LGBTQ groups, who have called the ban discriminatory.
Meanwhile, people who previously tested positive for HIV are still not allowed to donate blood. People who take drugs to prevent HIV through sex will remain banned for up to three months after their last dose.
The federal agency reports that some HIV medications (PrEP) can often slow the detection of the virus in screening tests.
Updated guidelines on blood donation policy were finalized by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on Thursday, easing restrictions on men who have sex with men. pic.twitter.com/AWWjCIKC6p
– CGTN America (@cgtnamerica) May 11, 2023
History of blood donation restrictions for gay and bisexual men, current screening questions
Any potential blood donor must answer questions regarding sexual history, drug use (injections), new tattoos, and new piercings.
The blood is then tested for HIV, hepatitis C, syphilis and other infectious diseases before being eligible for donation. time.
This is just the latest step for the FDA to catch up with new social practices over the past few years.
In 2015, the FDA lifted the lifetime ban on men having sex with men before requiring a year of abstinence, every year. NPR.
A few years later, the federal agency shortened the period of abstinence from 12 months to 3 months.
The sharp drop in donations during the COVID-19 pandemic has largely prompted the move to shorten the period of abstinence.
Years later, regulators say there has been no negative impact on the blood supply due to the coronavirus.
