The FDA’s decision to lower the deferral period on men who have sex with men from 12 months to 3 months is a step towards being more in line with science, but remains imperfect. In addition to the United States, several other countries still have lifetime bans against gay blood donors in place, including France, Germany, Switzerland, Norway. Additionally, women who have had sex with a male partner who has had sex with another man in the last twelve months must also defer. "This is a victory for all of us who raised our collective voices against the discriminatory ban on gay and bisexual men donating blood. Under the current blood donation regulations, gay, bisexual, and other men who have sex with men (gbMSM) have to wait for a three-month period since their last sexual contact with another man before donating blood. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and House Oversight and Reform Committee Chairwoman Carolyn Maloney also penned a letter calling for the revision of the policy that “stigmatizes the LGBTQ+ community.”įollowing the FDA’s release of the revised guidelines, GLAAD President and CEO Sarah Kate Ellis issued a statement that celebrated the change, but called the policy “imperfect.” “LGBTQ Americans can hold their heads up today and know that our voices will always triumph over discrimination,” Ellis wrote. Senator Tammy Baldwin led a group of Senators, including Kamala Harris, Bernie Sanders, Elizabeth Warren, and more, in publishing an open letter to the FDA asking them to change the “antiquated” policy.
In March, GLAAD launched a petition urging the FDA to lift the ban, which has garnered over 20,000 signatures, and received public support from the likes of Sam Smith, Michelle Visage, Chasten Buttigieg, and others.
Mail this postcard, encouraging the FDA to act quickly to allow willing gay and bisexual men to save lives by giving blood.The change comes after widespread campaigning from political figures and LGBTQ+ advocates.Kimball Research Institute and Project ACHIEVE. We believe in making blood donation more accessible to the LGBTQ+ community and are taking steps to advocate for change through ongoing research at the Lindsley F.
Can gay men donate blood us full#
We stand in full support of this study and encourage the FDA to act quickly. It isnt that we shouldnt but that legally we arent allowed. A rgentina ended its ban on gay and bisexual men donating blood on Tuesday, a decision that may have an impact on countries like the U.S. There is a difference between morals and legal issues. The FDA is currently doing studies to determine if gender neutral and other measures of risk would be achievable in revising the donor questionnaire. It is illegal for a gay guy to lie about his sexual orientation for blood donation. In December 2015, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) moved from a lifetime ban on gay and bisexual men donating blood to a deferral of one year for any. Gay and bisexual men who had recovered from covid-19 were also barred from donating. This change occurred in April of 2020 and was a positive step that reduced deferral periods, however there is more research to be done. The NHS made the change to expand eligibility amid declines in blood donations during the coronavirus pandemic. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) does not allow men who have had sex with men (MSM) in the last three months to give blood. LGBTQ+ Blood Donor Eligibility GuidelinesĬurrently, the U.S. Ban on gay men donating blood must end, 2020 Democrats say ‘Our blood screening policies must be based on 21st century medical evidence, not outdated biases about which populations carry more. We value diversity in our community, donors, and team members, and we work to treat all with fairness, equality and respect. New York Blood Center’s workforce and donor base includes diverse individuals of all races, ethnicities, genders, and sexual orientation.